Friends telling me stories of their forgotten nights out have turned too frequent. Friends telling me stories of the guy or girl that went a little too far, with a tad less permission than desired, have become too much. These nights have become so routine that sometimes people go out of their way to say, "I can't wait to black out tonight." Instead of, "I can't wait to go out and dance tonight." I will never understand how it could be fun to drink yourself sick or lose control of your own body and mind; but beyond the obvious dangers of a night out is a reoccurring threat that society has become increasingly aware of: that is forgetfulness and what might have occurred during that blacked-out period from last night.

Too many stories are tossed around of girls and guys getting hurt, kidnapped, raped, murdered, for anyone to dare risk being vulnerable in the sense that they end up with no control. It is beyond upsetting watching people hurt by sticky situations that they slid into due to some irresponsible choices. It's never a one-way train but when accidents happen: every detail is a contributing factor. If you're the only detail that you have control over, wouldn't your actions be a nice place to start in keeping yourself safe?

Even in sober scenarios I urge you to take care. We are constantly reminded as children to stay away from strangers and to always be aware of our surroundings, but as we grow older - we are reminded less. We become more comfortable with strangers, more accustomed to being on our own. We are big and strong and no one can touch us, right? Wrong. My dad always taught me to be prepared and my mom always taught me how to avoid danger; but last year, these two things had never stopped me from walking home alone from the library at four AM. I've stopped doing that, however - because frankly, that's an awful idea. Who am I to put myself in such a vulnerable situation? You'll never know when you're too weak to fight someone or something off until you're put in the position; I thank G-D that I still don't know and I pray I never will.

So ladies and gentleman, no we cannot control what will happen to us when we have no control. We cannot remember what memories we've forgotten from last night. We can take cautionary steps; find your limits, be cautious of what it is exactly that you're ingesting, utilize the buddy system, and for sh*ts and giggles, carry pepper spray (shout out to my dad for always making sure I'm carrying one). To take it just a bit further, if you're getting in an Uber at three-in-the-morning by yourself and have nothing to protect yourself with, grab something intimidating {a hammer per-say} on the way out of your friend's apartment. No one will try to mess with you. Trust me, I know from experience. Bottom line is, be safe, take care of yourself; life is way too precious to give up for some careless moment.