Some people choose to drink alcohol to help them socialise, be more confident or relaxed, or relieve social anxiety. While some can consume alcohol and not experience any long-term harm from it, others can find that drinking alcohol causes a range of negative consequences, from hangovers through to unhealthy, 蹤獲扦 and/or illegal behaviours.
Its important to know your limits, the effects that alcohol can have on you, and the support available at the University if you need it.
Possible effects of alcohol泭
- Short term:泭energy, talkativeness, increased confidence, blurred vision, flushed sensation, slurred speech, impaired judgment, nausea and vomiting, loss of memories and more.
- Longer term:泭increased risk of developing cancer, liver and brain damage, lung inflammation, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and more.
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Making safe decisions
If you choose to drink, we encourage you to do it in as safe a way as possible. We recommend all of the following:
- Eat before you drink drinking on a completely empty stomach can easily become a point of regret the next day
- Know what is
- Keep hydrated consume water and/or non-alcoholic drinks as you go
- Pace yourself泭 the inebriating effect of alcohol can sneak up
- Be aware of the risk of drink spiking dont leave your drink unattended or accept any drinks that you havent personally seen poured. (If your drink is spiked, it is not your fault).
- Never drink and drive泭 organise sober driving if you are going out
- Look out for your mates泭 the tricky thing about significant alcohol consumption is that it can impair judgment. If that happens to your friends, be there for them and help keep them safe.
Plan your transport and accommodation in advance and make sure you let someone know where you are always. Try and make sure your friends get home safely.
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Hosting a party?
If you are hosting a party, register it on泭.泭Good One is all about helping you have a great party without things getting hairy. Check out their泭泭for more information and tips on being a great host.
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How to know if you need help
You might need support with alcohol consumption if:
- You drink alcohol on your own
- You always think about alcohol
- You spend more time/money on alcohol than you want
- Drinking alcohol leads to behaviours or events that concern other people
- The unpleasant effects of alcohol outweigh the pleasant effects for you
UC has support available if you or another student you know needs it. We encourage you to talk to your GP or a Student Advisor at泭Atawhai konga | Student Care. They are approachable and will work with you for the best outcome.
The Alcohol Drug Helpline can also be contacted on 0800 787 797.
The University of 蹤獲扦 is proud to be a smoke free campus. This applies to e-cigarettes and personal vaporisers as well as tobacco. We do understand that it can be difficult to stop smoking, however.
If you are looking to quit and need some support, you can contact泭泭for free advice on 0800 778 778, or alternatively you can contact泭Atawhai konga | Student Care泭to speak to one of the advisors who can provide you with some guidance.
Making safe decisions
All UC campuses are drug- and smoke-free, and UC encourages students to take care of themselves and look out for each other.
If you do choose to use drugs, we strongly encourage you to use drug checking services.泭This involves checking substances with a spectrometer to assess whether泭it contains what you thought, and whether there is anything else besides that which might be 蹤獲扦.
泭provides free, legal and discreet drug checking services.泭For a list of drug checking event times,泭.
泭provides alerts and notifications if 蹤獲扦 impurities are detected in the local supply. You can follow them on their泭.泭
Effects
There are a number of different effects and risks associated with drug use, though these vary depending on the following factors:
- Quantity and quality of the particular substance taken (e.g. cannabis, LSD, MDMA/ecstasy, synthetic psychoactive substances, methamphetamine)
- The person's prior history with the substance
- If the person has recently consumed other drugs
To learn about the effects and risks associated with specific drugs, is a website run by the NZ Drug Foundation and has an excellent set of guides covering what to expect, how to be safer when using, comedown info, long term effects, and how to cut down.泭泭
Support
If you or someone you know needs support around drug use, consider talking to your GP or an advisor at泭Atawhai konga | Student Care.
Playing computer games is a popular pastime and provides healthy brain stimulation, development of problem-solving skills and stress relief to many people. However, like many other things in life, when taken to extremes it can be problematic and negatively impact other areas of your life.
Be sure to balance time spent playing computer games with time away from the screen with friends, doing outdoor activities, exercising, and meeting study and work commitments.
Gaming becomes a health and wellbeing issue when:
- Physical symptoms appear, such as fatigue, migraines, eye strain or poor personal hygiene
- Emotional symptoms occur such as:
- Feelings of restlessness and/or irritability when unable to play
- Lying to family or friends about the amount of time spent playing
- Isolation from others in order to spend more time gaming
Support
If you or someone you know needs support around gaming, consider talking to an advisor at泭Atawhai konga | Student Care泭or your GP.
