Opinion
 

Staff Editorial

                            Matt Dulin    Barrett Goldsmith    Zach Lee 
                Jim Parsons            Christian Schmidt           Blake Whitaker

Drink, Drank, Drunk

There's nothing fun about waking up in an unfamiliar place, bleary-eyed and covered in what you can only hope is your own vomit.

Wait, yes there is.

Spring Break is a special time in a college student's life. It serves as both a much-needed mid-semester break and an excuse to ingest excessive amounts of various substances that will eventually make your liver look like a shrunken head. (And if you're not into that, it's a good excuse for watching others make themselves look stupid.)

But whatever you choose to do this coming week, remember to remain selfless. It's one thing to risk your own health and wellbeing against the prospect of a good time, but there's no moral gray zone when it comes to innocent bystanders.

You probably already know where this is going, and we've all heard it before. It's likely you know someone who has been affected by drunk driving -- maybe someone who's lost a sibling, a parent or a friend. If there's any question in your mind about whether or not you should risk driving while blasted "just this once," think about the reaction of a victim's family when they get the late-night call informing them that their loved one is dead. As a secondary thought, imagine your own face smeared across a few feet of pavement. It doesn't matter how ugly you are, that's not a very pleasant image.

As your blood alcohol content rises, your chance of being involved in a fatal wreck increases exponentially. Ever barely avoided an accident on the way to school? Chances are you won't be so lucky if the same situation comes up while you're drunk, and there's no telling whom you might hurt.

That warning goes for substances besides alcohol as well. Just because you can see through time doesn't mean you're fit to drive.

Enjoy your time off. If you want to, take some stupid risks -- as long as it's only yourself you're risking.

Send comments to dccampus@mail.uh.edu