By Michelle Adams

After a freshman at St. Lawrence University asked Republican presidential nominee candidate John Kasich about how she can “feel safer and more secure regarding sexual violence, harassment and rape,” with him as president, CNN reported that the Ohio governor merely suggesting that “she should avoid parties with a lot of alcohol.”

Many college students have reacted negatively to his suggestion, laughing and calling the notion “impossible.”

For colleges with campus-wide festivals, this is especially true.

According to a new study by the Research Society on Alcoholism, there is a whopping 18 percent more alcohol usage in college students during a campus festival. Moreover, every year, nearly 2,000 college students will die from drinking-related injuries, and over 97,000 students “become victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape” in a single year, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

Obviously, as Kasich suggested, the best route to avoiding these threats is to avoid drinking altogether, but since not all Shenandoah students are willing to make this sacrifice this Apple Blossom, the SU Counseling Center posted informational flyers around campus urging students to drink carefully.

The posters advocate for alcohol awareness, depicting the infamous red Solo cup and saying, “When you fill me up, let’s have a safe, responsible and legal party.”

The flyer suggests that students check the strength (proof) and amount of alcohol they are consuming, and be wary of the time since their last drink, in hopes that students will avoid alcohol poisoning and other ailments.

It also urges students to be wary of who has access to their drinks, to avoid them being tampered with.

Finally, the poster reminds students to stick together during the festival, to watch each other and hold each other accountable.

The safety of students is one of the priorities of Shenandoah University, especially during the annual Apple Blossom Festival. SU reminds students to do their part by drinking responsibly in the coming weeks.

Feature photo courtesy of StudyInUK