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For some college students, Halloween weekend is a time to party with friends. Heightened excitement and expectations, especially around holidays, can cause some students to take more risks when drinking or using other substances. Having a conversation with your student in advance allows you to get them to think through their plans and share strategies that can help keep them and their friends safe.Ìý

Here are some tips to help your student stay safe over Halloween weekend.Ìý

Start the conversation with open-ended questionsÌý

One way to start a conversation with your student is to ask them what their plans are for Halloween and Homecoming.Ìý

Here are some questions you can ask to start the conversation with your student:Ìý

• What are you doing for Halloween?Ìý
• Who are you going with?Ìý
• What are you dressing up as?Ìý
• Are there any campus traditions or events for Halloween?Ìý

If any of their responses are concerning or it seems like they aren’t thinking about potential risks, you can ask follow-up questions about how they plan to get home from parties and events or if they have any back-up plans if they aren’t okay with how things are going.Ìý

Talk about alcohol and other substancesÌý

Even though many students choose not to drink in college, it may feel like alcohol is everywhere.Ìý

Share your expectations around drinking and other drugs and ask your student about how they manage their use and/or avoidance of substances. If your student doesn’t Ìýuse substances, it can still be good to help them explore how they might be able to look out for others.Ìý

Approaching the topic of substance use through an informed but open lens can help your student make better choices, recognize when to ask for help for themselves and others and opens up the possibility of having more conversations about their experiences or needs. Additionally, allowing your student to openly talk through what they want from Halloween weekend and the role substances may play can open the door to conversations that can help them brainstorm other options, correct misperceptions or find ways to stay safer regardless of their plans.Ìý

Check out this free handbook for information, tips and resources to help you have an effective conversation about alcohol and other drugs with your student.Ìý

Discuss limitsÌý

People’s tolerance for alcohol or other substances is influenced by many factors. Help your student understand and set limits before going out and enlist friends to help them stay accountable. Remind them that it’s always okay to go to a party and not drink or use substances. In fact, 93% of ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ students find it acceptable to not drink at a party.Ìý

You can also remind your student to practice safer drinking habits, like eating before going out, alternating alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages and making plans to ensure their entire friend group gets home safely at the end of the night.Ìý

Don’t mix substancesÌý

Mixing alcohol with other substances, including prescription medications, can increase the risk of accidental overdose or drug poisoning. It can also lead to unwanted consequences like passing out, blacking out, feeling sick or doing something your student may regret later. Ìý

Remind your student that it’s important to only use one substance at a time and avoid mixing substances or accepting prescription medications or illicit drugs from friends, roommates or others. This can help reduce the risk of exposure to fentanyl and other contaminants.Ìý

You can also encourage your student to stop by Health Promotion to pickup free naloxone and fentanyl test strips before they go out with friends. While fentanyl test strips cannot guarantee safety, they can help reduce risk of harm for people who choose to use substances that could unknowingly contain fentanyl. If your student lives in a residence hall, they can order these supplies for delivery to their residence hall through the Buff Box program. Equipping students with tools to take care of others in an emergency is valuable skillset.Ìý

Call for help in an emergencyÌý

Encourage your student to take care of their friends by watching for signs of alcohol poisoning or possible overdose. Remind them to always call 911 for help in a drug- or alcohol-related emergency. If your student is worried about getting in trouble, you can also remind them that the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ Amnesty Policy and can help protect students from disciplinary and legal action when they call for help in a drug- or alcohol-related emergency.Ìý

Talk about sexual assault prevention

The reality is that most sexual assaults are carried out by friends, acquaintances, partners, exes or a person someone has met online or at a party. This often contradicts what many people believe and can make it more difficult for students to recognize high risk situations. Ìý

Situations that involve alcohol and other substances can make it easier for problematic behaviors and unwelcome advances to go unnoticed. Here are a few things to remind your student to watch out for and bystander tips they can use to help prevent sexual assault.Ìý

Costume choice doesn’t give someone permission to ignore consentÌý

Dressing up is a cherished tradition for many people on Halloween. This tradition can also be infused with problematic stereotypes and negative social attitudes. However, it’s important to remind your student to notice when people are using outfit choices as an excuse for groping, non-consensual touching or other problematic behaviors.Ìý

Pay attention to sketchy situationsÌý

Talk with your student about how they might be able to identify sketchy situations. Focus on cues that may indicate someone is trying to take advantage of another person through the use of alcohol or other drugs.Ìý

Encourage your student to notice when a party goer:Ìý

• Coerces or pressures someone else to consume more alcohol or drugs than they are comfortable with. Ìý
• Initiates sexual contact because they think the other person is intoxicated and/or less likely to resist.Ìý
• Isolates someone who has had too much to drink or is having a negative drug experience. Ìý
• Doesn’t tell someone what is in their drink or the type of dosage of drug they are ingesting.Ìý

Brainstorm ways to helpÌý

Let your student know that it’s okay to intervene or interrupt a situation, even if they aren’t sure they’re reading the situation correctly. If a situation seems weird, off or makes your student uncomfortable, they shouldn’t ignore it. Validate that offering help can feel awkward, so help brainstorm ideas that actually seem realistic to them. Remind them that helping strategies can include enlisting the help of trusted friends to ensure the person gets home safely.Ìý

Check out the Don’t Ignore It website to explore support resources, strategies for bystanders and reporting information.Ìý

Have an outÌý

Talk with your student about how they plan to get home from parties or events. Encourage them to make sure their friend group is on the same page, charge their phones and bring enough money for transportation if needed. Ìý

Let your student know that if they feel uncomfortable or want to go home, they can confide in trusted friends. Encourage them to let their friends know that they’re ready to leave and it’s okay to ask someone to go with them. It’s also important to remind them that they can make up an excuse to leave. It’s okay for your student to say they have work in the morning, a family emergency or that they’re not feeling well. Ìý

Likewise, remind your student to not ditch someone, even if they’ve had too much to drink and/or are unwilling to stick with plans to stay together. This decreases the likelihood that their friends will have to rely on lesser-known peers or strangers to get home. Ìý

Other reminders

Take some time to review other reminders to help your student make good choices.Ìý

Student Code of ConductÌý

The ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ Student Code of Conduct outlines actions that are prohibited for all students, including abusive conduct, underage drinking, damage to property, illegal use of drugs, fake IDs, fire safety and other crimes. Review these topics with your student and encourage them to make good choices on and off campus.Ìý

Local ordinancesÌý

Students should also follow Boulder’s local ordinances to avoid fines and referrals to the Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution office.Ìý

Common student citations include:Ìý

• Alcohol: Your student can receive a ticket for underage drinking, serving alcohol to minors or having guests that are drinking alcohol in public areas, like the sidewalk in front of their residence. It is also against the law to use or possess a fake ID. Students who have a fake ID confiscated may be required to appear in Municipal or State Court, which have jurisdiction over these types of violations.Ìý
• Fireworks: The use and possession of fireworks is illegal in Boulder County. Fireworks also pose a significant wildfire hazard. Banned fireworks include sparklers, snaps, bottle rockets, roman candles and smoke bombs. Even if your student doesn’t personally possess or discharge fireworks, they can still be held responsible for those used by roommates or guests.Ìý
• Nuisance tickets: Nuisance party tickets are issues when a residence hosts a gathering that violates any Boulder ordinance, including unreasonable noise, underage drinking, brawling, public urination, littering or trash. Ìý
• Noise: Boulder may ticket students for unreasonable noise any time of day. This includes any amplified sounds, speakers or noise that can be heard from more than 100 feet away from a property or location between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. This ordinance also applies to noise that can be heard from more than 200 feet away from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.Ìý

Encourage your student to only invite people they know to a party. They should also talk with their roommates about expectations, as they are all responsible for what happens at their residence, even if your student is not home at the time of the party.Ìý

Party registrationÌý

If your student plans to host a Halloween party or gathering over the weekend, encourage them to register their party with Off-Campus Housing and Neighborhood Relations. If someone makes a noise complaint at their address, instead of an immediate ticket, the registrant will receive a warning call and have 20 minutes to shut things down or get the noise under control, which can help lower their chances of getting ticketed.Ìý

Stay open

Be prepared for possible resistance, especially if this is the first time you’ve talked to your student about these topics. It’s normal for students to be a little reluctant to engage in conversations about substance use or sexual assault.ÌýÌý

They may be afraid of getting in trouble or feel as though they already know everything there is to know about these topics. It can also help to prepare for disagreements. Remember, not everyone will react how we expect or think they should react. Many of our students are trying to adjust to a significant amount of change over a short period of time.ÌýÌý

If you notice the conversation is getting tense or unproductive, take a break and revisit it later. Allow your student time to reflect. You can always come back to the conversation once everyone has had time to breathe. The most important thing is to stay open to listening to your student—the conversations will likely build and deepen over time.Ìý

If your student is resistant to having a conversation with you, you can always remind them about the resources on campus.Ìý

Resources for students and families