Cautious Consumption Week is Feb. 27 to March 3. This week-long event gives students an opportunity to reflect on their current drinking habits and consider safer drinking strategies.
Research shows that the more often a person drinks, the more likely they are to suffer from alcohol-related harm. That being said, we realize that some students at the University of Idaho do drink, so we also realize that it is very important to give students the information and resources to drink responsibly.
The events of this week demonstrate how to deal with unsafe drinking situations, as well as give students the resources that they need. House Party will take place on March 1 in the Pitman Center from 6-8 p.m. Students will go through four interactive modules that range from estimating blood alcohol content, identifying signs of alcohol poisoning, potential legal consequences and receive a brief screening and feedback from Counseling and Testing Center staff. Refreshments are provided. Students that complete pre- and 30 day-post surveys will receive a $10 gift card to the VandalStore.
Vandal Health Education will also be promoting e-CHECKUP TO GO, featuring a competition among living groups during all of Cautious Consumption Week. This anonymous online assessment takes about 15 minutes and provides students with feedback on their drinking, how their drinking compares to other students and suggests strategies to reduce risk. Residence halls, fraternities, and sororities with the highest participation rates will win their choice of Subway party subs, Einstein’s coffee and bagels and other prizes.
University of Idaho students can also stop by the Vandal Health Hut on Tuesday Feb. 28 to complete the assessment. E-CHECKUP TO GO is a well-researched tool that has demonstrated success in moderating drinking and reducing alcohol related harm.
Cautious Consumption Week originated with Panhellenic and the Interfraternity Council and features competitions for fraternities and sororities. In addition to House Party and e-CHECKUP TO GO, houses can earn points by participating in a banner contest on Monday, social media contest on Tuesday, attending a Risk Manager training on Thursday and attending the women’s basketball spirit game against Southern Utah University at the Kibbie Dome on Friday. The basketball game starts at 6 p.m. and students must bring their Vandal Card to get in. Houses with the most participation during the week will win money to go toward their philanthropy.
Emma Balazs is a peer health educator and can be reached at [email protected]