Top 5 Spring Break Mistakes

Nothing's going to ruin your vacation like one of these spring break mistakes. Luckily, we've also got smart strategies for avoiding them! The two most common spring break mishaps follow from having unprotected sex with someone you barely know, often while intoxicated. If you get hot with someone you have only just met, you'll have to think about the risk of sexually transmitted infections , which affect approximately 65 million Americans. In fact, 19 million new cases of STIs are diagnosed each year. Avoid being one of them by being smart and using protection. The male and female condom are the ONLY forms of contraception that offer some protection against STI transmission-although the only real guarantee is to avoid recklessly casual sex. Spring break sex can also come with another unwanted consequence: Pregnancy.  And don't think you are in the clear just because you wore a condom. Just ask the 14-percent of people who get pregnant even though they did. Be safe by bringing-and using!-a backup form of birth control, be it the Pill or the Patch. Another common spring break mistake? A tattoo or body piercing that you really didn't want. Because certain popular spring break locations, like Mexico, don't have the same sanitation laws that U.S. parlors do, you may run an increased risk of infection. Plus, an unwanted tattoo can take up to eight expensive, painful sessions under a laser to fade away for good. When you're drinking heavily, you run the risk of another unintended consequence and that's alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning happens when your body absorbs alcohol more quickly than it can metabolize it. The result can be slowed breathing, heart rate, a stalled gag reflex, and an unwanted trip to a less than savory hospital. The best way to avoid this is to try to drink in moderation. Remember, your body can safely absorb a lot less alcohol then you think, actually only about one bar-sized drink every couple of hours. OK, so you're not drinking excessively, having unsafe sex, or visiting sketchy tattoo parlors. But are you wearing sunscreen? Sunburn is a likely result of spending an excessive amount of time outdoors in sun hotter than your skin is used to. Of course it's painful and can put an end to your partying, but even worse, every bout of sunburn can increase your risk of getting skin cancer later. Avoid it by rubbing an SPF on all exposed skin, and reapplying often , even if you use a waterproof formula.  To be safe, the FDA recommends using a full ounce per application-that's the size of a shot glass, which we know you're familiar with by now!