By Briana Luca, Student at Iona College

Image courtesy of photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When the weather starts to get nice, college students everywhere have an alarm that starts to go off in their heads. Nice weather = FUN and FUN = day drinking.

Day drinking is usually on the top of the activities list on the first nice days of the spring and summer, and it’ll stay there until the first brisk day of fall.

You might think that having a few margaritas while sitting in the backyard or having a few beers on the beach might be fine, but there is more than meets the eye. Day drinking can be fine if done in moderation, but sometimes people go overboard, and there are some serious dangers involved in sipping alcohol in the sunshine.

The number one danger of day drinking is the risk of getting heat stroke. Alcohol dehydrates your body and combining that with the heat from the sun, your body is even more dehydrated. Heat stroke and dehydration are serious dangers, so remember to take precautions such as drinking water in between alcoholic drinks.

Be careful when you’re drinking and doing outdoor activities such as swimming, boating or any other games. You should never operate a boat or go in the water after drinking in the sun since your judgment will be highly impaired.

Lastly, if you plan on drinking in the sun, remember to lather up on the sunscreen, eat before you drink and take breaks in the shade.

Be aware of all these dangers and take the necessary precautions when sitting out in the sun with an alcoholic drink.
 

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