With Spring Break approaching, UW-Madison’s University Health Services offered students several tips Tuesday to make the week safe and fun.

According to Dr. Sarah Van Orman, a clinical assistant professor in the School of Medicine and Public Health, students should enjoy their destinations but also be aware of their surroundings at all times.

“I think it’s just being aware that you’re not in your home environment and you can’t necessarily make assumptions about what’s safe and what’s not safe,” she said.

Van Orman said one of the biggest problems students have is binge drinking in places where they can’t always trust the people around them.

“If you are going to choose to go out and party or to drink alcohol, make sure that you’re traveling in groups and with friends,” she said.

UHS recommends students carry condoms at all times. To get in touch with a rape crisis center in any city in the United States, students can call (800) 656-HOPE.

For students traveling abroad, Van Orman said it’s important to review food and water safety as well as ways to prevent foodborne illnesses. Sun protection is another essential element in warm destinations, she added.