The IU Health Center’s Counseling and Psychological Services and Sexual Assault Crisis Service sponsored the event, which was geared toward educating students on how to party safely.
Chris Meno, a CAPS psychologist and event organizer, said last year’s event brought in about 1,600 students and that organizers were hoping for 2,000 students to attend this year.
Planning for “Sex, Drugs, and Rock ’n’ Roll” began in March.
Each of the 38 organizations present at the event, including the IU Student Association, OASIS, Safe Sisters and Culture of Care, were required to incorporate an educational game based on sex, alcohol and drug use at college.
“It’s not realistic to ask them not to drink and have sex,” Meno said. “We want them to learn skills to party safer, and that’s what the interactives teach.”
Focused on an audience of mostly freshmen, activities were structured to teach students about the typical college party atmosphere.
Various booths touched on topics like what is in “jungle juice”, how to count drinks and what a serving looks like in a solo cup.
The Panhellenic Executive Council sponsored a booth with an activity based on the popular drinking game “flip cup”.
This was the council’s first year being involved at “Sex, Drugs, and Rock ’n’ Roll.”
Allie Dickmann, a junior on the Panhellenic Executive Council, said the council was drawn to the event to help bring awareness to issues of sexual assault.
“We have so much potential as a student body to change what is happening,” Dickmann said. “And I think starting at a young age is helpful.”
Meno said that “Sex, Drugs, and Rock ’n’ Roll” helps educate many freshmen at a formative time when they are first developing drinking patterns.
“Freshmen come to campus with preconceived notions of what’s normal to be in college,” Meno said. “This is our opportunity ... so students can learn what’s actually healthy and appropriate at college versus what their cousin told them or what they saw on TV.”
The event also provided information on what to do in a situation of distress, with booths focusing on the Indiana Lifeline Law, bystander intervention and how to use a free Blood Alcohol Content Level app.
Freshman Lisa Moore said she that she felt the interactive activities were more informative than alternative teaching methods.
“I figured out that the line on the solo cup actually means something,” Moore said. “I actually did learn things.”
Students were offered a range of prizes based on the number of booths they visited throughout the event.
Prizes included free snow cones and drawings for gift certificates to local restaurants, Little 500 tickets, a $100 T.I.S. College Bookstore gift card and an iPad Mini.
Meno said one of the main reasons “Sex, Drugs, and Rock ’n’ Roll” is put on is so students can become familiar with the IU Health Center if they ever do have an issue with sexual assault, alcohol, drugs or safety.
“We’re going to be the first ones on campus that they’re probably going to go to deal with that problem,” Meno said. “We want them to see our kind faces and get to know us so they can get to know us and get to feel comfortable using our wonderful Health Center services.”
