Your Weekly Consumption Guidelines

Bookmark this post. Print it and keep it in your wallet. If you’re all about enjoying alcohol but maintaining good health, then read on.

 

From time to time our government puts out guidelines for alcohol consumption – but who wants to go through tables and tables of data? We’ve put together for your a sweet little infographic to summarise the guidelines for you.

 

Here it is in summary (numbers are inclusive):

Males:

Drink up to 4 drinks per week for low long term risk

Drink up to 6 drinks per week for moderate long term risk

Drink up to 10 drinks per week but cop a high long term risk

 

Drink up to 6 drinks per week for low short term risk

Drink up to 10 drinks per week for moderate short term risk

Drink 11+ drinks per week but cop a high short term risk

 

Females:

Drink up to 2 drinks per week for low long term risk

Drink up to 7 drinks per week for moderate long term risk

Drink up to 10 drinks per week but cop a high long term risk

 

Drink up to 5 drinks per week for low short term risk

Drink up to 10 drinks per week for moderate short term risk

Drink 10+ drinks per week but cop a high short term risk

 

Remember to enjoy alcohol safely! That’s all from QLD Cheers this week.

Cheers!

 

All you need to know for Schoolies!

We would be amiss if we didn’t address the topic that’s most likely going through most of your minds in these late months of the year – Schoolies. If you’re planning to take part in the event as a Schoolie (or a Toolie!), there are some things you should know beforehand in order to make the most out of your celebrations. We’ve gathered a list of tips from some of the national schoolies websites in Australia to give you a bit of a head-start! Don’t worry, we’ll try and keep it short – we know you don’t like to read ;).

Getting Organised:

• WHO will you go with?
  • It’s always best to travel with people you know and trust!
  • A larger group can bring down costs per person
• WHAT will you do?
  • How long are you planning to stay?
  • Is everyone in your group over 18? Are there things to do for those who aren’t?
• WHEN will you go?
  • Time your schoolies trip so you don’t miss any extra requirements for tertiary course entry. Lots of universities and TAFEs set interviews, auditions or entrance tests around this time of year.
• WHERE will you stay?
  • Schoolies accommodation gets booked out fast so get onto this as soon as you can!
  • Hotels, motels, resorts, units/house, caravans, and campsites are all options
• HOW will you get there?
  • Public transport, driving? Plan your route ahead of time.

Accommodation:

• Prepare a budget so you’ll know how much you can afford to spend on accommodation and save enough money for other things like food, transport and having fun.
• Know your rights and responsibilities when renting accommodation, especially with things like bonds, repairs and cancellations. Ask to see and read the ‘house rules’ before signing anything.
• Keep your cash and other valuables in a safe place. If you choose to leave the door open, keep an eye on who is coming and going.
• Be a good tenant. Leave your room, apartment or campsite in the state you found it. Report any breakages or damage and be prepared to pay reasonable compensation to the owner, if necessary.

Safe Partying:

• Remember you don’t have to drink alcohol to have fun!
• Know the liquor laws in the state where you’re holidaying.
• If you’re over 18 years old, organise a driver’s licence, passport or proof of age card.
• Avoid drinking in rounds and know your limits.
• If you’re drinking, stay with people you know and trust.
• DO NOT drink and drive.
• If you think your drink has been spiked, tell a friend, bar or security staff, or the police.
• If you think you’ve been sexually assaulted, tell a friend or family member, and go to a doctor or hospital.
• Don’t accept drinks from strangers.
• Don’t drink something you did not open, or see opened or poured.
• If you’re unsure about your drink, leave it.
• Remember no drug use is safe.
• If you take drugs, tell someone else what you are taking in case you become sick or unconscious.

Disputes and Violence:

• Stay cool when trying to resolve a dispute, whether with a bar staff, security staff or whoever. Being polite and courteous goes a long way to getting your problem solved.
• Organise a ‘safe place’ where you and your friends can meet up if you feel threatened.
• If a fight breaks out then move out of the area as quick as you can.
• If someone’s threatening you or has assaulted you in any way, call the police on 000 immediately.
• Travel in groups and always look out for each other. Don’t go out alone and stick to well-lit streets.
• Report any assault, no matter how minor, to the police.
• Accept the fact that conflicts and disputes will inevitably arise when you are living closely with friends and sharing your space. Often a bit of ‘time out’ will help clear the air when there’s been a disagreement.

You can read these and many other great tips on the Youth Central Website for Schoolies.  There are also some great resources and advice available through the following sites:

• Red Frogs Australia
• Schoolies.com
• QLD Government Website for Schoolies
• BookSchoolies.com

We know it’s a lot to take in, but if it helps you or someone you know avoid an unfriendly situation then it’s worth every second spent. We hope you enjoy your schoolies week – it will be one of the most exciting weeks of your life! Keep safe, be responsible, and have FUN!

Cheers!!

 

 

Queensland Cheers…

Welcome to the Queensland Cheers Blog!

 

We’re a new and upcoming project built around youth drinking culture in Australia, with a community-centric approach to education. We believe that the fastest track to a safe and responsible drinking environment for youths is through education; and it’s our goal to create a community where Queenslander’s can inform and learn from each other as they step into this culture. Australian youths who are struggling with alcohol and its effects should have a support group they can go to, who don’t just throw facts at them but encourages discussion instead. As a Brisbane-based group, we want to connect with youths in Queensland who may feel vulnerable and work to stop progression towards alcoholism.

 

The Queensland Cheers Blog was founded in order to fill a niche that we feel exists in providing attention and help to Brisbane residents struggling with alcoholism, and aims to provide a safe platform that is both non-judgemental and interesting to its target audience. We want the blog to target youths who are considering embracing the drinking culture, as well as those who want to distance themselves from it or are struggling with pressures surrounding it. It is our hope that by connecting peers with each other in a discussion-based approach we can create a sense of community, where help will always be given to those who ask for it.

 

The online environment of this blog lets users share and engage with each other through interconnected social networks and forums to seek advice and learn from one another, while still granting complete anonymity to those who desire it. We want you, our readers, to feel that you can utilise this comprehensive source of resources in whatever way you need; whether that’s for advice or simply to discuss your own experiences and feelings regarding alcohol and peer-pressure. You have the power to help the community grow, and it’s always possible that your experience could be the advice that helps out someone you never even knew.

 

So what are you waiting for? Join in the discussion and help us work together towards a safer, more enjoyable Queensland.

Cheers to that!