Safety First

Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy~ Benjamin Franklin 

       A few days ago, I had an interesting talk with a friend from back home about her college experiences. After our discussion, I realized this blog wouldn't be complete without a post dedicated to  le booze.  

       Drinking is illegal for most college students.  But I really don't think that ever stopped anyone.  Sure, there are many people who choose not to drink while at school, and I don't mean to imply that there's a great pressure to do so.  Yet for those that do choose to indulge, its important to remember to do so responsibly.  Drinking too much for anyone is dangerous, but even more so when you're diabetic.

       First, always remember to eat while you're drinking.  Sugary alcoholic drinks may make your blood sugar spike up at first, but hours later will drive you low.  These later hours are usually when you're back in your dorm sleeping, so be careful to test before going to sleep to avoid overnight lows.  I usually aim to be in the 200 range before going to sleep just to be extra careful.

       While it may be cumbersome, always try to have a small bag with you when you go out, even if you're just headed to a friend's dorm room.  There's nothing worse than realizing a low is coming on and panicking because there's nothing for you to eat or drink.  I always like carrying a little cross body bag.  To fit my keys, lip gloss, glucose tabs, and tester in a small compartment, I'll take my tester out of its case and just slip the pieces in.  I usually throw a few extra lancets in too just in case.  

       It's always important to be sure the friends you're going out with know that you're diabetic.  This can be hard, especially if the friends you start off with at the beginning of the night end up being different than the friends you get back home with, which can happen at large events.  But the closer you get with people the easier it will be to inform the group as to what would be needed if case of an emergency.  And more than ever, its important to wear your medical i.d. 24/7.  

       B.F. Skinner is a well known psychologist, but has also done extensive work on verbal behavior. Skinner discussed in his studies "tacts and mands."  Tacts refers to making contact with, using words to connect with someone else in a social manner.  Mand refers to a command, which would hopefully result in a direct reward.  These tools are used by individuals to navigate interactions with others.  Just like being safe when you go out, tacts and mands can help you in informing a friend group about what you need to get home safely.  Dictating what others can do in case of an emergency are effective mands, and creating contacts with a group  of new people will only have benefits in the long run.

         Be safe, and have a great weekend!