Students get schooled in safe party procedures

STORY BY JESSICA ROVEDA
PHOTOS BY ELISE MORTON

Participation freebies weren’t the only thing that students took away from Sheridan’s health and counselling services’ Wellness Week.

Friday’s Sheridan Parties event encouraged personal safety in a social setting, part of a series of informative events that took place from March 16 to 20 across all campuses.

Participants were given a red cup for the duration of the event, which involved activities about pouring a standard-sized drink, sex-related trivia and a sensory-impairment simulation.

“The aim of the event is to teach people how to stay safe at a party and still have a good time,” said Marissa Amoroso, senior manager of health and counselling.

At the end of the event, participants learned whether their drink had been “roofied” using beads as prop drugs, as well as receiving information on how to get home safely.

Katie Zazulak, a second-year Social Service Worker student educates Becca Hils, a first-year Makeup student, about the proper amount of alcohol that equals a shot.

“It taught me a few lessons about leaving my drink alone,” said Ben Callaghan, who attended the event at Trafalgar’s B-Wing. “I thought the beads were a nice touch.”

Students were taught how to pour safe amounts of alcoholic beverages in the first station, before moving on to a game of beer pong involving true-or-false safe-sex questions at the second station. The final station had students wear vision-impairing beer-goggles during a game of pin-the-tail on Bruno.

“It’s really clever and creative,” said Bachelor of Film and Television student Akil McKenzie, 18. “The activities and prizes at the end made students want to participate, but also willing to learn.”

Students were given free condoms, shaving razors and a slice of pizza for participating.

In its inaugural year, Wellness Week was a “success” according to Amoroso, who said that each campus saw combined participation of about 160 people per day.