Knock, knock. Who's there?

Alright, so here's the deal: It's Little 500 weekend, and you want to party. Most of us students have the hankering to head out this weekend, knock back two or three or 11 drinks, jump from party to party or bar to bar and enjoy what was dubbed a long time ago the "greatest college weekend." \nBut there's a problem.\nApparently the police know about this so-called greatest college weekend. It seems that each year, there are lots of police officers everywhere, looking out for people who are breaking the law. And the worst part is they really don't care if they kill your buzz or not.\nWhat's a student to do?\nWell, for one, a student can use his or her head. IU Police Department officers will be working longer shifts. There will be more Bloomington Police Department officers patrolling the city than usual. The Indiana State Excise Police -- the law enforcement division of the state Alcohol and Tobacco Commission -- will also be working this weekend. Whether you're driving with your headlights off or belting out a slurred version of the national anthem on Kirkwood Avenue, they'll be watching. Not entrapping, mind you, because as IUPD Lt. Jerry Minger likes to remind us, if you're drunk, you might as well have a neon sign attached to your head.\nBasically, you don't need to be a math major to figure out what's likely to show up at the end of this equation.\nYet each year, it's estimated that between 200 and 500 people -- many of them students -- are arrested or cited during Little 500 weekend, mostly on alcohol-related charges. All of those students had to know the police presence on campus would increase and work around the clock, but somehow they still managed to get caught. And this year, the editorial board is willing to bet that roughly the same number of alcohol-related citations will be given. As Yogi Berra once said, it's like déjà vu all over again.\nWhile you're here, we also have other concerns we'd like to pass along to you besides underage students drinking:\n• Never drink and drive. Indiana's legal blood-alcohol content limit is 0.08 percent. Impairment begins at various stages for different people, depending on body weight and how much alcohol is consumed. (Check out www.in.gov/cji/impaired/QandA.html for further information.) \n• Binge drinking can lead to fatal doses of alcohol, which slows the body's involuntary reflexes, such as breathing and choking. Don't assume someone can just "sleep it off," and never be afraid to call 911, no matter the legality of the activity. \n• Sexual assault is a threat every day on a college campus, but stay extra vigilant this weekend. No means no.\nWe're not itching to act like your parents, so take this however you'd like. But don't say we didn't warn you.