A lot of you in the Fargo-Moorhead area may remember Tom Bearson, the NDSU student who was walking alone from a house party to his dorm, a mere six blocks away. As you likely know, three days later, he was found dead in an RV lot on the opposite side of the Red River. Sometimes I can't help but wonder if he hadn't been alone, would this terrible tragedy have happened?

All too often on campuses across the country, a massive amount of young people begin to enjoy that newfound freedom of being away from Mom and Dad for really, the first time ever. This freedom gives way for them to try new things such as staying up even later than before, meeting strangers, roaming about the town to get to know their new surroundings, going to new houses, new bars, and new neighborhoods that they are completely unfamiliar with. In many, many cases, the temptation to try alcohol and even drugs is all too common. Unless you have very strong will power, it is hard to resist those offers because of that fear of not fitting in. This is true not only for college students, but also for high schoolers, and people of all ages.

For those of us on Northern Minnesota campuses, there is a lot of factors that we must take into consideration. It's cold. It's really, really cold. So now you don't just have the dangers of drugs, alcohol, and stranger danger. You now must add in the threat of hypothermia and exposure to Mother Nature's harsh elements. It is all too easy to be hanging out with a new group of friends and get separated. Someone may run into a new group that they want to go with. Someone my get sick and need to leave. It is all too easy to assume that "it will be okay because they will find their way home," or that "you don't need to worry about me.. I'll be fine." The cold, hard truth is that this is when tragedies can happen.

Most of the time, unless you plan to be walking, you will never be dressed warm enough for the elements. Alcohol may make you think that you are warmer. However, "you booze, you lose" is as true of a statement as there is because you actually lose heat when you do drink. It is deceptive. You are cold and suddenly tired. You can sit down somewhere, thinking that you will warm up, or your friends might possibly come find you. Then, all too fast, it is too late. Hypothermia, frost bite, and even death are very real possibilities.

That aside, even if you are dressed warm enough, you are still alone, and could run into the wrong group of people that only mean to do you harm. Robbery, rape, gang violence, abduction, any other types of foul play can happen. Staying in a group or with your friend(s) may give you a better chance of survival. That is why I say, never leave a friend behind. You may even run across someone not in your group or someone who you don't even know that seems to be alone, intoxicated, dressed inappropriately for the weather, and just seems to be struggling. Think if it were you. Wouldn't you want someone to stop and help you? From offering them to walk with you, giving them money for a cab, or if you think you're safe, offering them a ride, offer them a piece of warm clothing, and even giving them five bucks to sit at a gas station or any open restaurant for a cup of coffee until they sober up or find a ride.

You may be saving someone's life and the chance of you having a guilty conscious for not doing something to lend a helping hand. We often hear not to leave your drink at a party unattended for fear of what someone may do to it. Instead, have the thought of not leaving your friends behind at your forefront. We all need to look out for each other. Even if you all make it back to your house or dorm safely, and some of your friends are extremely intoxicated and passed out, don't leave them like that. Check on them throughout the night. Get them to drink water and get them to the bathroom if they need to throw up. Especially with new drinkers, too often, death can occur when they choke on their own vomit. We all have worked hard to get to where we are in this life.

Don't let one stupid night of partying change the course of everyone's lives forever. Look out for each other. If you come with somebody, leave with that somebody, and then, leave no friend behind.