Staying safe at uni

You're away from home for the first time - you can stay out as late as you want, take whoever you like home with you, and don't have to worry about your mum shouting at you for coming in drunk. You're free – and it's fun.

The last thing you want is for a nasty incident to spoil your new-found freedom. We've all heard about drunken uni nights out ending with lost phones, purses and wallets, or worse a fight or even a visit to A&E.

Luckily universities are actually really well geared up to look after their students. Your union will have a welfare officer, there'll be on campus nurses and doctors. And there's lots of free publications and advice available to keep you safe.

But to be really safe, students also need to take responsibility for themselves and their mates. So on a night out, there are just a few really easy steps you can take to make sure the night goes off without incident.

Don't go overboard

Staying within the daily unit guidelines means you'll be more likely to have your wits about you, and be able to spot dangerous situations.

If you do drink too much, you could easily get into trouble. The more drunk you are, the more likely you are to do something risky.

Staying within the daily guidelines will mean you're more likely to walk away from a sticky situation than lashing out and ending up brawling on the pavement and getting yourself in trouble with the police.

Eating before you go out and drinking plenty of water will also help you not to get too drunk. Aim to drink a soft drink or a glass of water after each alcoholic drink when you're in the pub. Have a look at our unit calculator to find out how many units are in your favourite drinks.