I know this post is one weekend too late, but maybe you’re at that point where you’re reflecting on your Halloween debauchery and wondering how you let X happen… I really hope everyone reading this had fun at Halloween parties without getting hurt, but that is not always the case. So, what can you do to ensure that you have fun, but also avoid personal harm? Well, there are a few simple steps:

• Have a party buddy – I think it’s so important, especially for young women, to have a close friend or classmate that you trust to go out partying with. This buddy is particularly important if you are going to a party at someone’s place that you don’t know. When I was in Undergrad I was a super nerd, so I didn’t really go out much or even get drunk. However, in Grad School it was a whole different story.  I had broke up with my long-term boyfriend of five years and I just wanted to have. Unfortunately, that fun sometimes got me into trouble, including meeting questionable men, puking on lawns, and going to work hung over.  Yep!  Even us nerdy folks make mistakes. However, I manage to avoid complete catastrophe by making sure each time I went out, I brought one or a posse of female friends. Even though all of us were there to have fun, we also looked out for each other, and if we saw anything questionable going on, one of us would pull the plug and call a cab.  It’s much easier to leave a bad situation when your friend is telling you that you’re going to miss your ride, than get out of it yourself. So, make sure you have someone who has your back when you’re going out on the town.

• Plan a safe way home – Know how to not only get to the party, but how you get home. This includes knowing when the last bus is if you plan on taking public transit, or having Uber, Lyft, or your favorite cab company saved in your phone.  You may even want to write down a phone number, in case your phone dies. Or, and make sure you have cash to pay for the trip, or the number of a friend to call, if you are truly stuck.

• Make a curfew – You also may want set a time when you plan on leaving the party. Things usually get more shady as the evening creeps onward. It might seem like a cool idea to stay out until the wee hours of the morning and find out how the drama turns out, but usually it isn’t what you hoped for. Most likely, it’s a bunch of people passed out, sick, or really agitated by the end of the night. So, have you fun and head home at a reasonable time to get the sleep you need to have a productive day the night after.

Halloween parties and college parties are wonderful.  You can make new friends, get a little goofy, and just let loose. But, make sure you are doing all of that in a way that protects your health and safety.