With Halloween approaching, students gear up for a festive weekend. There will be an increase in law enforcement out on the road with students going off campus around Otterbein or to Ohio University [OU] for parties.
This holiday is a time for students to have a good time and not worry about any exams or papers that are due soon. However, this cheerful holiday does come with some risks. Alcohol poisoning, assault, and the illegal use of drugs can run through college campuses around Halloween.
There will be some Otterbein students not going to Ohio University for Halloween weekend since there are too many incidents on OU's campus.
“On the Friday before Halloween, I will be having a little party with the people I live with off campus and then Saturday I will be throwing a bigger party,” says Forrest Oliver, a senior mathematics major. “I will not be going to OU because there is too much that goes on there.”
An article from Ohio University's student media "The Post", “Police prepare for back-to-back Halloween and Homecoming weekends” posted Oct. 25, 2018, says that there is "usually a spike in crimes, including underage consumption, sexual assault, public intoxication, alcohol-related assaults and fights, on these weekends for OUPD and APD.”
“I will probably be going to OU to party with a group of friends. I have a friend there already that I will be staying with overnight,” says Lauren Turner, a freshman biology major. “If I were to stay on campus for Halloween weekend, I would feel safe alone being on [Otterbein's] campus, whereas I wouldn’t if I were on a bigger college campus like OSU [Ohio State University] or OU.”
There are many ways for Otterbein students to have fun but also stay safe. Police presence will increase during Halloween weekend because of the overflow of non-residents who come to celebrate alongside Ohio University students and Athens residents.
There will be many police departments like the Ohio State Patrol and Ohio University Police Department working together to make sure that everyone is getting home safe.
Here are some things to consider if you are going to any parties this Halloween weekend: Make sure you have a designated driver or someone you trust that you can contact.
“If you are going to any parties, go with a group of friends. If you put your cup down, do not pick it back up and have safe fun,” Oliver says.
If you are going to be staying on or off campus, be aware of your surroundings at all times and contact the police department if emergency arises.
