Spring break is a time to escape from commitments at school and celebrate your accomplishments!
As you get ready for a fun-filled Spring Break, we hope you will embrace this time of year with joy, safety, care and compassion.
Below are four action steps for safe spring celebrating:
1. Practice self-compassion
Spend time thinking about your own boundaries and connect with your needs. Consider what types of celebrations are comfortable for you. It is in your power to say NO to dangerous behaviors or activities. It is easier to follow your heart when you make your own choices before the party starts, so decide how you want to celebrate and make your own choices rather than following the crowd.
2. Plan Ahead
When you are celebrating, make sure that you remain with trusted friends. Have a plan to get home safely that doesn’t involve driving.
3. Remember why you are celebrating
This is a time to celebrate you, your friendships, accomplishments and to look forward to the adventures that lie ahead. It should be a blast! When you take part in dangerous behaviors, not only do you take unnecessary risks, but you also lose the true meaning of these celebrations.
4. Be a compassionate leader
If you see someone who is struggling or in danger, please call for help. You can save a life by making sure everyone gets home safely.
Together we say yes to life. Thank you for leading with love and compassion. Have a wonderful spring break!
Flavia Tomasello
The Antonio Tsialas Leadership Foundation
Co Founder
SPRING BREAK ALCOHOL SAFETY
The Gordie Center is a nonprofit at the University of Virginia with a mission to end hazing and substance misuse among high school and college students nationwide. We are proud partners of The Antonio Tsialas Leadership Foundation, whose mission is to prevent hazing by practicing compassionate leadership and we honor Antonio’s compassionate nature in our work every day. As you plan your spring break fun, we encourage you to be an active and supportive friend by looking out for each other, using the buddy system, and not hesitating to call for help if a friend is in trouble. If you choose to drink alcohol over spring break, remember that tolerance is situational, and drinking in a new environment may cause alcohol to impact you more strongly. Additionally, alcohol content varies in other countries and even other states, so your typical beverage of choice may contain more alcohol than you are used to at home! Check out the Gordie Center and the Antonio Tsialas Leadership Foundation’s Instagrams (@thegordiecenter and @antoniotsialasfoundation) for spring break safety content and to keep up with the work we are doing to end hazing.
Jill Maurer
National Development & Program Coordinator
The Gordie Center
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