Fling or fail?

The cold, dark days of winter are coming to a close. For college students that means two things: spring break and summer vacation! Students get excited about breaks during this time of year because it’s warm and it’s an excuse to wear less clothing. (Hopefully, the big dinners from Christmas and Thanksgiving haven’t completely ruined you beach bod!)

When vacationing, I found that a good number of people wouldn’t be opposed to having a romantic rendezvous, commonly know as a fling. But is a fling really all it’s cracked up to be?

Wherever you are vacationing, there is bound to be someone that is going to catch your eye. Maybe it’s the sexy bellhop that helps you take your bags to your room? Or maybe it’s the gorgeous-eyed Jet Ski instructor that gets your gears grinding. If you are like me and feel quite comfortable and content admiring from afar and subconsciously making up delusional romantic fantasies in your head without any intention of following through with them, you should be fine. If you are a “take charge” kind of person, you may need to keep reading.

Flings are flings and they happen all the time. This does not mean that you should not take extra precaution for your own safety. The point is that on vacation you are in a completely new environment and everyone knows this. People are around to accomplish one thing and that is to have fun. You do not have anyone to look out for you while on vacation so you have to take the responsibility of looking out for yourself.

I want to stress the point that one should never judge a book by its cover. Just because the person you meet looks nice and they have a great smile doesn’t mean they do not have a hidden agenda. People who specialize in abduction of any sort know that this is the time of year that everyone is out and about. They are definitely going to take advantage of a young person’s naivety and adventurous spirit.

We have all heard the stories of Elizabeth Smart and Natalie Holloway. One minute they were here and the next they were gone. It can happen just that fast and it can happen to anyone. If you do meet someone you want to spend time with while on vacation, go out with them the smart way. Consider group dates or invite your travelling companions out on the town with you and your new squeeze. If anything remotely out of the ordinary goes down you have a group that will protect you and you can all leave the scene together; traveling in numbers is always safer than traveling alone.

Also, always carry your cell phone. I rarely see anyone without a cell phone these days, but it is quite possible to forget it at the hotel. If something does happen and you have no form of communication, it is less likely that you will be able to get help in a timely fashion. Make sure it is charged and always on. Watch your drinks at the bar and always look over your shoulder!

Vacations are about having a good time so don’t let the fear of the unknown ruin your fun. Be smart about where you go and who you talk to. Flings are exciting and make for a good story, but make sure you are able to come home and tell that story. The sad truth is that not everyone has good intentions. A six-pack of abs or a nice bum can easily sway someone from looking at the big picture. Have fun on your vacations and, above all, be safe!