COLUMN: Partying safely keeps you out of trouble
It’s Friday night and the party is bumping, the music is blasting out as the drinks are being downed and there are hot girls and guys everywhere.
Suddenly the flash of red and blue lights is seen outside the window as somebody yells out that the cops are here. Panic sets in as those underage make a blitz for the doors and windows, trying to escape before the noose closes.
If you’re lucky, the only thing you lost is your booze and the chance to hook up with a half decent-looking partner. If you’re not, you find yourself quickly tackled to the floor by some 200-pound police officer who then slaps the cuffs on you, and before you know it, you’re in the drunk tank.
If this story sounds familiar, you probably were either at or know someone who was at a busted party. Living as a college student anywhere let alone Vermillion this is one of the risks you take if you decide to go out and engage in illicit, yet fun, activities. However 99 percent of the time the cops bust a party, it was always over something that could have been avoided. In this article, I’m going to give you a few tips on how to keep a party from being busted while having a good time.
First, in order to beat your opposition you must understand them. The cops in Vermillion are not the scum of the earth as many students see them as; they’re simply people doing the job they’ve been paid to do. The majority of cops don’t want to spend their time dealing with dumb drunken college kids; it’s simply that for a large number of the incidents, they have no choice but to respond.
How does this relate to throwing a party, you might be asking yourselves right now? Because when it comes to busting parties, there are certain things that you can do in order to prevent yourself from being caught. And if you think about them for more than a minute they really are no brainers. Here are two great ways in which you can assure that your parties will be more physically safe for you and your guests.
Number one: don’t invite strangers into your house. If you’re at college and not a complete introvert, you should know enough people to be able to have a good time.
People you consider your friends will, if they are decent, feel an obligation to you not to get you in trouble or break your things. Or if they do, at the very least, they will try to compensate you for the damage they cause. Strangers however owe no such loyalty to you and thus present the greatest risk. Of every college party I’ve ever seen or heard of getting busted, more often than not, it was some random stranger or a guy that nobody really knew that caused it.
Number two: ensure that your house is secure. You should do whatever you legally can to ensure that your house draws as little attention to itself as possible. All windows should have their blinds closed and all unnecessary entrances should be locked down.
It’s best to have access to the house limited to areas either in the back or out of general view of the road. This should also be the area set aside for people who want to smoke. This will reduce the visibility of partiers to the police as well as reduce the numbers of ways sketchy people can attempt to sneak in. A secure house is a safe house, as the old saying goes.
I know this may seem like a fairly simple list, but because most of the situations that arise to plague college partiers are simple ones, that can be avoided with a little forethought and vigilance. The moral of the story is stay inconspicuous, party with those you trust and do a little security, and you’ll have a good time. Be reckless and you might find yourself in the back of the paddy wagon.
Reach columnist Steven Campbell at [email protected]
