Homecoming week is one of my favorite times on campus.

My first true EIU homecoming was last year. I attended a tailgate and the homecoming football game, but I also went out with my friends that night.

At this time, my friends and I were friends for a year. We went out many times before, so we established that when we go out, we all leave together and take care of one another.

I felt comfortable going out because I knew that my friends were going to take care of me if anything were to happen. I often see groups of people going out on the weekends, which is also something I do when I have the time.

But, everyone does not have the luxury of going out with a group of friends who stick together.

There have been plenty of times when I have seen someone alone and obviously intoxicated. So, I wanted to talk about going out, not just for homecoming week but anytime. It is important to leave your home and return to your home every time.

First and foremost, it is important to go out with the right people. You cannot go out with people who do not have your best interest at heart.

If you are too intoxicated at a party or bar and the people that you came with are nowhere to be found, then you should get better friends. If your friends run off to be with another group of friends and do not make sure you’re okay, you should get better friends.

You should always know where your friends are when you’re going out. It can be scary to be in a place that you may not be too familiar with and not have other people with you to navigate where to go.

I have been at parties before where girls were throwing up and girls that they did not come with would be there to comfort them. It is a very unfortunate sight because someone in distress is not in the proper state of mind to get somewhere that is safe and comfortable for them.

Also, you never know who may be around, and it is not always ideal to think the worst, but you must think of every possibility that may occur when someone who is overly intoxicated is by themselves.

So what do you do when you encounter someone who is too intoxicated? You are not obligated to check on said person, but it would be the right thing to do.

You and your friends should see if the person is breathing and conscious, and it is up to your discretion if you want to take the person with you or not.

Overall, homecoming week should be fun for everybody. Make sure that you’re watching out for your friends and that you all get home safely. Think about how important it could be to keep tabs on your friends in moments like this.