Calling All Sidewalk Chalk Artists: Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid
Utah State University’s Student Wellness Center seeks artistic souls to work their creative flair on the Taggart Student Center plaza Tuesday, Oct. 10, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in conjunction with the university’s observance of National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week.
Aggies are invited to participate in a student sidewalk chalk art contest sporting the theme, “If You Drink and Drive this Halloween, Be Afraid ... Be Very Afraid.”
“We’ll supply the chalk and a taped off area for each contestant,” says Ashlee Cooper, a health educator at USU’s Student Health and Wellness Center and organizer of Utah State’s observance of the national week, which is coordinated by the Bacchus and Gamma Peer Education Network.
Cooper says students who wish to participate should contact her by email at ashcoo@cc.usu.edu or just show up at the event ready to compete. Prizes will be awarded to the first and second place contestants.
The gathering also features educational exhibits on responsible alcohol use by the Student Wellness Center and the USU Police Department. USU police will offer mock sobriety tests.
“We’re encouraging students to think before they drink and discouraging them from driving under the influence or riding with someone who’s been drinking,” says Cooper.
Nationally, an estimated 1,700 college students die each year from alcohol-related incidents, she says.
Cooper offers these tips for responsible drinking:
- Follow the Zero-One-Three drinking method. If you are under 21, pregnant, chemically dependent or a designated driver, think zero. Don’t drink. If you are 21 or over and choose to drink, drink only one drink per hour. Drink no more than three drinks in one day and do not drink every day.
- Never drive impaired and never ride with an impaired driver. If you drink, don’t drive. Always designate a non-drinking driver. Don’t accept a ride from someone who has been drinking. Don’t let a friend who has been drinking drive, and help them find a safe way home.
- Know what a “standard drink” is; that is, a 12 oz. beer, a 4 oz. glass of wine, 1.25 oz. of 80-proof liquor in a mixed drink.
- Do not let anyone at a private party make your drink for you. You won’t know the strength of the drink, and it could contain a dangerous substance.
- Never leave your drink unattended. This allows the opportunity for someone to place a dangerous substance, i.e. a “date rape drug,” in your drink.
- Remember that drinking is a personal choice. Do not let anyone pressure you into drinking something you don’t want.
For more information about National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week at USU, contact Cooper at 435-797-8080 or ashcoo@cc.usu.edu.
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Contact: Ashlee Cooper, 435-797-8080, ashcoo@cc.usu.edu
Writer: Mary-Ann Muffoletto, 435-797-1429, maryann.muffoletto@usu.edu
USU students are invited to participate in a chalk art contest Oct. 10 on the TSC plaza for National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week.
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