It’s that time. The tanning beds are booked, getting an elliptical at the gym is as easy as winning the lottery and every hotel from Panama City to Key West is booked to the maximum.

It’s Spring Break.

Spring Break is arguably one of the most fun weeks of the semester. So follow these safety tips from Safe Campuses Now to make sure your spring break stays fun.

The proverbial bell rings at the end of the last classes on Friday, and the only thing on everyone’s mind is getting out of town. In Athens, the property crime rate is 1.32 times the national average, according to cityrating.com. That’s higher than the rates in Washington, D.C., New York City and San Francisco. Theives are not dumb – they know they will hit the jackpot of empty homes during Spring Break.

Before you rush out of town, add these steps to your to-do list.

Getting automatic timers for lights, radio or television is as easy as a trip to Wal-Mart, and they make your house look like someone is home.

Have all mail and newspapers held while you are gone. If your neighbors will be in town, ask them to check on your house. Take as many valuables with you as possible.

Make sure to double-check all windows and doors are securely locked.

Almost half of all males and more than 40 percent of females reported being drunk to the point of throwing up or passing out at least once during Spring Break, according to a University of Wisconsin study. Everyone wants to have fun during break, but do not become one of these statistics.

Obey the drinking laws of wherever you are.

Decide in advance how much you want to drink, and once you start drinking, stick with it.

Watch all of your drinks being made, and do not accept an unopened drink.

Keep your drink close to you at all times, and get a new one if you think someone might have tampered with it.

Alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to avoid getting too drunk too fast. It reduces the intensity of your hangover, too.

Do not swim if you have been drinking, and stay away from hotel balconies. Never, ever drink and drive.

In a 1999 Penn State University survey of 238 college students, one-third reported having sex while on spring break. Of that third, 58 percent had sex with someone they had met during spring break, with infrequent or no condom use. To avoid having a spring break baby or contracting a non-returnable souvenir, make these safety decisions.

Abstinence is the only way to avoid long-term sexual consequences.

If you do have sex, use a condom. Know your sexual limits and communicate them clearly.

Use a buddy system. Do not leave your friends to go with someone you have just met, and do not let them leave either.

If taking a long road trip, wear a seatbelt, make sure to always have gasoline and alternate drivers so no driver gets too tired.

Always carry your ID. Make sure to carry cash in addition to your credit card. It is a good idea to carry a brochure for your hotel if you get drunk, lost or both, so that you can find help getting back to your hotel.

Have an amazing Spring Break!

- Lauren Coppage is a junior from Raleigh, N.C. majoring in magazines.