siuDE.com

Issue date: 3/5/08 Section: Campus

Media Credit: Edyta Blaszczyk Jamie Barnhill, a senior from Gurnee studying recreation and leisure services, waits to shoot a basket wearing fatal vision goggles which simulated a .15 blood alcohol content, twice the legal limit, Tuesday afternoon.The event Safe Spring Break was brought together by The Wellness Center to promote awarness of issues and temptations that happen to students during their spring vacations.

Regina Campbell normally has no trouble putting the ball in the hoop.
After slipping on drunk-simulation goggles Tuesday, she had trouble even gracing the rim.
Campbell, a freshman from Kankakee studying administration of justice, was one of roughly 30 participants at the Safe Spring Event Tuesday in the Recreation Center. The event, sponsored by the Wellness Center, was designed to provide students information on how to make healthy choices over spring break.
Campbell participated in an exercise that strived to show how distorted the world is when one has been drinking alcohol. Campbell said it was nearly impossible to play basketball when applying distorted goggles dubbed "fatal-vision goggles."
"I can barely shoot or walk. There's no way I could drive," Campbell said.
Chris Duenas, an undecided freshman from Libertyville, said having students use the blurry and distorted goggles is a good way to show a sober person how dangerous and distorted everything gets when someone is intoxicated.
The goggles attempt to show what the environment would look like with a blood-alcohol level of .15, almost twice the legal limit, Duenas said.
For example, it would take four drinks to reach the blood-alcohol level for a female with a body weight of 120 pounds and seven drinks for a male with a body weight of 180 pounds. He said he wants to help students be aware to drink responsibly and to take necessary precautions to stay safe.
Students looking to stay safe over spring break also participated in a "mocktail" station, which served non-alcoholic drinks to show an alternative to vacation refreshments.
Michelle McLernon, outreach coordinator at the Wellness Center, said the event was designed to warn of the dangers of alcohol abuse but also show fun alternatives.
"We want to show that students can still have a good time and celebrate their break without alcohol," McLernon said.
McLernon stressed the importance of gaining information about skin care, nutrition, stress management, alcohol and sexual behavior.
She passed out information fliers, citing statistics from the Counseling Center such as that 70 percent of college students engage in sexual activity when they normally wouldn't because of alcohol intake.
They also warned of the importance of safe sex for those who do choose to engage in sexual activity.
Those seeking more information should contact the Counseling Center at (618) 453-5371 or http://www.siu.edu/offices/counsel.

Maria Capati can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 254 or mariac@siu.edu.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools