Planning to attend football games this year? Here are 4 ways to look out for your friends

This year’s football season is expected to be bigger than ever. If you’re planning to attend, here are some tips to help you and your friends stay safe. 

1. Nail down your plans 

Who’s in your group? Identify who you want to go to games with, and make sure everyone is on the same page about where you plan to go before, during and after each game. It’s best to choose a group a friends that you know will take care of you in case something happens. Don’t forget to be there for your friends, too. 

Stick together. Make a commitment to stick together and agree on how you will meet back up if you get separated. This can decrease the chances that someone in your group will have to rely on lesser-known friends or strangers to get home. 

Check in with each other. It’s also important to establish a way to check in with each other. Save each other’s cell phone numbers and consider starting a group chat, so you can communicate with each other in case someone needs help. You’ll also want to make sure that everyone has their sound on, so they don’t miss any important notifications from the group. 

Share your location. Finally, make sure everyone knows where you’re all going. Google and Apple Maps are a great way to make sure everyone ends up where they’re supposed to be. If you do get separated in a crowd, try using the “share my location” feature with the group, so they can find you and regroup. If plans change, make sure everyone knows and is in agreement.

2. Keep each other accountable 

If you or your friends plan to drink (or use other substances), make a commitment to watch out for each other and keep each other accountable. It can be helpful to set a limit before you go out, so your friends know when they may need to step in. In fact, 91% of students find it acceptable to let a friend know when they’ve had too much to drink. 

You may also want to make an agreement with your group about discouraging each other from doing embarrassing or dangerous things at parties or other events. For instance, if someone wants to crowd surf or ‘table smash,’ you may want to pull them aside to share your concerns or pull them into a different activity. Similarly, if someone has drank too much, it’s likely time to switch out their drinks for water or help them get home. 

3. Know your out 

Create a code word, sign or text emoji that means ‘get me out of this situation!’ Proactively keep an eye out for sketchy situations, especially if someone is intoxicated and may not be able to communicate their discomfort with the group.  

This can include things like someone pursuing one of your friends in an unwanted or predatory way. Watch for people who hit on the drunkest person, encourage others to drink, try to get a drunk person alone or away from their friends or are persistent about pursuing someone sexually. 

If you see someone in a potentially harmful or high-risk situation, you can do something to intervene. Bystanders are particularly important in situations where someone is being targeted because of their level of intoxication, or if a person has been intentionally drugged at a party. Remember that impaired or incapacitated people are usually unable to protect or advocate for themselves.

4. Get home safe 

Make sure everyone gets home safely.  

Commit to not ditching someone if they have too much to drink or become unwilling to stick with your plans to stay together. Consider whether someone offering to walk a person home or look after someone who has had too much to drink is trustworthy and being helpful or is potentially looking for access to someone who is vulnerable. 

Never leave someone behind with casual friends, people you just met or don’t know very well, especially when someone has been drinking or using other substances. 

Resources 

Here are a few campus resources you can take advantage of before, during and after football games.