This Alcohol Awareness Week (16-20 Nov), we are encouraging students to think about their drinking habits and the impact it has on their wellbeing.

Today’s advice looks at how to prepare for a night out.

Before a night out there’s lots to think about – what to wear, how to style your hair, what shoes go with that dress ect.

Plan ahead so that you and your friends have a night to remember for all the right reasons.

Plan your food

Many of us forget to think about what to eat before a night out.

Drinking on an empty stomach is a bad idea. Alcohol defuses through the walls of the stomach very quickly. The less food in your body, the faster alcohol will enter your blood stream. The faster it is absorbed into your body, the bigger impact it has upon your liver, digestive system, kidneys, and cardiovascular system. Eat before you drink and the alcohol will drip into your body’s system.

Now the question is what to eat? Some people think that you have to spend ages over the cooker preparing a meal but there are plenty of tasty dinners that can be prepared and cooked in just 20 minutes!

Here is a selection of mouth-watering meals in minutes:

• Beef, mushroom and greens stir-fry
• Vegetarian egg-fried rice
• Chicken Caesar salad
• Chicken fajitas
• Salmon, avocado and cucumber salad

Plan your transport

Before any night out, it’s always worth planning how you are getting there and back.

Some of you are lucky enough to be in walking distance of night time hotspots but if you do decide to walk, never do it alone. Walking in a group is not only safer but having a chat with friends is far more enjoyable. If you’re on the Canterbury campus, call Campus Security and be walked by a member of security to anywhere on campus.

Those who face a longer walk home, why not get a taxi to be on the safe side? When it is 3am, pouring down with rain and freezing cold, it can prove tricky getting a taxi because everyone else is after one too.

Plan your night before you leave your house and book your taxi home. Likewise when you are thinking about how you will get there, give yourself plenty of time when booking a taxi to avoid disappointment.

For more safety contacts, advice and services visit our safety webpages.

Look after your friends

On a night out it is important that you stay safe and stay with your friends. This isn’t just for your safety but also your friends. We’ve all been in a situation when you are in a nightclub and one minute you are dancing with your group, and the next minute they are nowhere to be seen.

That’s why it is important to have a plan with your friends beforehand about where you are going and what to do if you get split up. Use our checklist to plan sensibly:

• always try to stay with someone so nobody gets left alone
• if somebody does get left alone, plan a place beforehand to meet up
• never leave the nightclub alone and wait for your friends
• make sure your mobile phone is charged before the big night out
• never leave your drink unattended
• if your drink tastes strange, do not drink any more of it
• if walking home, stick to well-lit streets and busier areas

It’s also worth noting down the numbers for emergency services. Now most people know that in an emergency, you call 999 but for those occasions when you or your friend need assistance but it isn’t an emergency, call 111. You can also call Campus Security when on-campus.

111 is the NHS non-emergency number. It’s fast, easy and free. Call 111 and speak to an adviser, supported by healthcare professionals. They will ask you a series of questions to assess your symptoms and immediately direct you to the best medical care for you. NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

For more safety contacts, advice and services visit our safety webpages.

Pace yourself

If you drink too much, too early, you’re more likely to have to leave early and miss out. There’s nothing wrong in waiting until you’re out to have your first alcoholic drink – and mocktails are a great way to start the evening.

Think about the morning after

It’s a good idea to think about the morning after a night out. Give yourself a drink limit before a night out, especially if you have early lectures!

With deadlines rearing their ugly heads, there’s nothing else you can do than pour yourself another cup of coffee and knuckle down. Here are some useful tips to help you through.

Check the essay guidelines for your school

If you’re panicking about whether the word count for an essay is as strict as it seems, the best thing to do is to check the student guides for your school, or to ask one of your lecturers. Don’t listen to friends who are studying other subjects – their school might have different rules to yours.

This also goes for referencing, when I was doing my BA in English Literature and French, the two different schools used two different referencing styles – best to check which your school uses well in advance of deadline day!

Take a packed lunch with you

If you’re heading up to campus to do your work in the library or one of the many study hubs, then it’s always a good idea to pack a healthy packed lunch. Not only will it save you money, but it’ll also mean that you have stuff to eat and can hopefully resist the urge to buy every bit of junk food on offer.

Organise a study date

If you’re one of those people who can’t work in complete silence, organise to meet up with a friend who also likes to chat but has a deadline too – you’ll be able to chat when you want to, but then you can also motivate each other to get your work done.

Check hand-in guidelines

It might seem like I’m being really patronising by saying this, but bear with me. The worst thing you can do around deadline season is get your days or times mixed up. Check when your deadline is and make sure you’re ready to hand it in at least 30 minutes before this time. If you have to hand in a hard copy, make sure you get one printed at least an hour in advance of the deadline – there will be a queue both for the library printers and at your school’s reception. Also, check if you need to fill in a cover sheet when you hand in your hard copy.

Remember to breathe

I know deadline season can be super stressful, but sometimes you need to take a minute and breathe. Have the belief in yourself that you will get the work done… you just might have to decrease your break time if you’re working right up to the wire. You’re really not in the minority if you’re one of those people leaving it to the last minute, but just remember, your health and sanity are the most important thing – so don’t panic!

If you would like help managing stress, speak to the Student Support and Wellbeing Team.

You can also speak to the Student Learning Advisory Service for help managing your studies and deadlines.

Don’t miss the Medway Activities trip to Winter Wonderland 6 December 2015. Soak up the Christmas atmosphere and visit the one of the 150 quirky stalls.

Limited spaces available. Email medwayactivities@kent.ac.uk to book.

Photo credits

Title: Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland
Author: Harvey Barrison
Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0
Link: https://flic.kr/p/7kL1W7
Source: Flickr

Make a difference in your local community and develop key employability skills.

Up to £1000 for a project of your choosing.

Deadline 17 December 2015

Apply now.

The School of Music and Fine Art has joined the Academic Supporters Programme of the British Association of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA).

There will be a presentation by Cindy Truong, BASCA Member Events & Relations Co–ordinator, under the educational partner programme, on Wednesday 18 November at 11.30am, followed by a Q & A session, networking and pizza!

The venue is the atmospheric Chatham Historic Dockyard, Room CT102. FREE to attend, this is a fantastic opportunity for musicians and songwriters. Places are limited, so booking is essential. Please confirm your attendance with mfareception@kent.ac.uk

For further information, email: j.seaman@kent.ac.uk