Remember, food helps slow the absorption of alcohol, stopping it going to your head too quickly, and helping you to avoid that dreaded hangover!

Carbs or protein such as pasta, potatoes and chicken are good to eat before or while you're out drinking. Not only will they help keep you full, but they will also make that unhealthy and fatty takeaway seem less tempting.

Meeting for Pre-Drinks?

If you drink too much too early, you’re much more likely to miss out on the proper night. Remember, turning down a drink is much less embarrassing than throwing one up.

Keep an eye on your home pouring, especially when it comes to spirits. Single shot measures are 25ml, which doesn’t look like a lot in a glass so don’t be fooled into over-pouring.

Avoid top-ups to make it easier for you to keep track of how much you’re drinking – it’s not rude to say no!

I spent how much?!

Ever had that sinking feeling in the morning, when you see the pile of receipts for drinks you don’t remember buying?

Why not leave your card at home and only take as much cash as you want to spend. Remember though, to make sure you keep some money in a separate pocket for getting yourself home safely too.

While you're out

Try a 'spacer' instead of a 'chaser'…

A 'spacer' is a non-alcoholic drink that you take in between alcoholic ones - you space them out. That way you slow down your drinking.

You will be surprised how good and refreshing a spacer can be in between alcoholic drinks. On occasions a low-alcohol beer might do.

Look out for your mates

While on a night out, look out for each other in case someone's getting ahead of themselves. If they are, grab them some water or a soft drink from the bar and encourage them to pace themselves.

You don’t want to have to put them in a cab, clean their sick from your shoes or miss out on the night by having to take them home.

If one of you does overdo it, make sure you know the difference between a bit too much and alcohol poisoning, and what to do if it’s really serious.

Raise your voice…

Don’t be the bystander who notices inappropriate behaviour and does nothing about it – if it is not acceptable when sober, it is not acceptable when under the influence of alcohol.

The union runs the Raise Your Voice project, offering training in bystander intervention to help you deal with inappropriate behaviour whenever or wherever you encounter it.

If you've done the training and feel confident to intervene in a situation feel free to do so, but when you're on a night out you can also do your bit by raising concerns with venue staff or the police. You can also report any issues you have encountered via the UniSafe App on iLancaster.

Don’t leave your drink unattended

Get into the habit of never leaving your drink unattended and don’t accept a drink from someone you don’t know.

Keep an eye on your drink at all times – don’t go off and dance then come back and drink the rest.

Avoid drinking too much alcohol as this will put you in the best position to be alert to anything suspicious and able to look out for your friends.

 

Getting home

How are you getting home?

All good things must come to an end, and when you’ve had a great night out we want to make sure you make it home safe and sound.

As everybody knows, you could be risking your licence, your freedom and even your life if you get behind the wheel drunk. But you’d be surprised how little you have to drink to be over the drink-drive limit. And the best advice is to just not mix the two – don’t drive, even after just one drink, and you’ll be in the clear.

Don’t leave anyone behind

If possible it's best to leave the pub or club in pairs or as a group. If someone's disappeared don't assume they've pulled, find out for sure.

Keep a mate with you and try not to spend too much time hanging about at the end of the night.

 

The morning after

Drink a glass of water when you get home to re-hydrate – and you’ll have a better chance of avoiding a hangover.

Got an early start in the morning? If you’ve had a few the night before you could still be over the limit well into the morning. If you’ve got to drive tomorrow, don’t go overboard tonight.

 

Get involved

 

Are you interested in supporting others to be safe on a night out or do you just want to find out a bit more about the campaign?

If so you can contact us at advice@lancastersu.co.uk