Celebrating the end of semester? Drink smart to stay safe

Whether you are graduating or just glad to have made it through another semester, the campus community is approaching a time of celebration. Although alcohol is often involved in festivities, when consumed in excess, the consequences can be far more serious than a headache or a little nausea.

With the end of term and Bermuda Shorts Day celebrations around the corner, Linda Hastie, Student Wellness Services nurse manager and student medical response team supervisor, advises the entire campus community to be aware of how to reduce harms associated with alcohol intoxication.

“The effects of alcohol fluctuate depending on many factors including height, weight, tolerance, mood and pace of consumption. Alcohol is a depressant and has serious repercussions for your physiological health, causes changes to your brain, and affects your mood,” Hastie explains.

“It’s okay to have fun and drink with your friends, but pay attention to warning signs, including unhealthy patterns and regularly blacking out, and know when to seek help,” Hastie cautions.

As part of the Campus Mental Health Strategy, UCalgary has a comprehensive health promotion strategy in place that uses a harm reduction approach, including our approach to alcohol.

The university is a signatory member of the Post-Secondary Educational Partnership-Alcohol Harms. PEP-AH is a network of campuses that have their own capacity for researching and understanding the drinking culture on campus, as well as the best practices to reduce harms.

Alcohol consumption can add to stress, rather than alleviate it

According to the Government of Canada, short-term health effects of alcohol consumption can vary from drowsiness and slurred speech to blackouts, depression, automobile accidents, injury and even death. Over the long term, alcohol consumption increases the risk of brain damage, organ disease, cancer and addiction.

The 2016 National College Health Assessment data indicate that 18.1 per cent of UCalgary students do not drink, while for others, it can be a social activity or a coping mechanism. Hastie asserts that using alcohol to cope with daily stressors associated with school, work or personal problems is an unhealthy strategy.

“Rather than helping alleviate stress, alcohol consumption can actually increase anxiety by negatively affecting achievement,” she says.

“The ability to learn and retain information is impaired. You can’t function at your full capacity when alcohol is involved,” Hastie explains. “Trying meditation, seeking the advice of a physician, talking to a counsellor, eating well and exercising regularly are far better coping strategies than using alcohol to deal with stress.”

Debbie Bruckner, senior director of student wellness, access and support, identifies various on- and off-campus resources available to students. “We all need support at some point in our lives. Reaching out for help is an important aspect of maintaining your health and wellness,” she says.

“University can be difficult but students should know that there are a number of resources available to through the Student Wellness Services as well as different peer support groups that can offer informal guidance and assistance.” Staff Wellness resources include access to the Employee Family Assistance Plan through Homewood Health, as well as mental health support.

If you decide to drink at BSD or any other day, Hastie recommends taking precautions to limit the risks for your health and safety. “Always have a plan in place. That means pacing yourself, making sure that you’re eating and hydrating, arranging a safe ride home and having an emergency contact,” Hastie says.

“You should also be conscious of how much you’ve had to drink. When you have a pitcher of beer or take shots, it’s easy to forget how much you’ve consumed and how quickly you did it. The effects catch up to you and things can get out of control,” she explains. “Nobody expects to pass out, vomit, aspirate and suffocate, but it does happen, so take precautions and stay safe.”

On-campus resources available for students during BSD

In addition to the medical tent operating on April 12, the Post-Alcohol Support Space (PASS) will also be open from 10 p.m. Thursday evening until 6 a.m. Saturday morning, offering the campus community a non-judgmental, medically supervised space to sleep off the effects of alcohol. If you need assistance or are concerned about someone, contact Campus Security or Safewalk at 403-220-5333. As a critical component of harm reduction, there are no repercussions to seeking medical assistance.

BSD isn’t your cup of … tea? Drop by the UCalgaryStrong Festival to celebrate the end of term with inflatable games, wellness activities, live music and refreshments. Hosted in the Olympic Oval on April 12 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the festival is open to the entire UCalgary community.