Tips For A Safe Girls Night Out

With the advent of social media, it can seem that the days of hanging out with your friends,

spending face-to-face time together is a thing of the past. Not so. Getting together with your be sties for a night out on the town continues to be a great way to connect with others and have some personal down time. There is nothing quite like an evening of fun and laughter with your buddies to rejuvenate you. But while you're out having a good time, don't forget to put a high priority on your personal safety.

Follow basic safety tips. While its okay to let your hair down, you should never let your guard down. Trust your instincts. If something doesn't feel right it probably isn't. If a particular person makes you feel uncomfortable, let your friends know and remove yourself from that situation. If one of your friends tells you she feel uncomfortable, trust her. Even if she is wrong, it is better to err on the side of safety. Be aware of your surroundings. Don't get so caught up in the fun that you fail to see what's going on around you. Carry a discreet personal self defense product such a lipstick pepper spray or a mini stun gun and keep it where you can readily access it.

Never go it alone. The point of going out is to be together with your friends. Encourage your girlfriends to go out together and go home together. In other words, discourage any of your friends from leaving with the cute guy they just met at the bar. If you can agree to this as a group before you go out, you can minimize a lot of drama and potential safety issues.

Drink in moderation. Alcohol lowers inhibitions, making it easier to have fun in a social setting. However, it also impairs judgement, making it difficult to pick up on warning signs, especially the more subtle ones. In most cases of reported date rapes, either the victim, the perpetrator, or both were under the influence of drugs and / or alcohol. Know your limit and stick to it. A little can be good. More is not better. Good friends should help keep each other from overdoing it.

Whether the group you're out on the town with is made up of your high school be sties, your sorority sisters, your co-workers, your bible study group or your fellow neighborhood moms, have fun but stay safe!