It’s true that we learn best by making our own mistakes, but certain lessons are best when absorbed secondhand. In the past few years, Binghamton University alumni have died as a result of poor choices made with drugs and alcohol.

The fact that abusing these substances can lead to bad things isn’t news to anyone — we’ve all heard it before, and we all know exactly what not to do. A lot of us still do it anyway. But these needless deaths show that at the very least, this campus may need a reminder. As clich√É.√© as it sounds, sometimes we really do need to stop and think.

Over the next two weeks, there will be any number of opportunities for us to make negligent decisions. Though seemingly opposites, finals week and Bar Crawl do have one thing in common: They can, and often do, lead to substance abuse.

Finals week is a stressful time for all of us, and some people end up feeling like there’s simply not enough time in the day to get everything done. Adderall and other prescription drugs may begin to seem like possible solutions. Bar Crawl, of course, brings its own traditions of blackouts and bad decisions.

And while we’re familiar with the notion that as young adults we’re invulnerable, the facts show that we’re not.

In 2006, a Binghamton University freshman died over spring break following what appeared to be a night of heavy drinking. Pipe Dream reported at the time that he may have vomited in his sleep, resulting in asphyxiation. In 2008, a BU student was killed after a car driven by a student charged with driving while intoxicated drove off the roadway and hit a tree. In 2009, a 19-year-old former Binghamton University student was found dead from an apparent prescription medication overdose.

And, in July 2009, a recent graduate died from cardiac arrest with drugs in his system (see Page 1). His mother was told that had he been brought to a hospital earlier, his life could have been saved.

You may find yourself in a situation, in the next two weeks or otherwise, where a friend needs medical treatment, due to alcohol or drug abuse. Don’t be afraid to call an ambulance, even if you’re afraid that there will be legal consequences. This is especially true in Binghamton, where we have Harpur’s Ferry — a fully confidential ambulance service. Your friend may spend a night in a hospital, but at least he’ll be in safe hands. Any other response isn’t worth the potential risk.

We’re not invincible. And if you try to remember that, you’ll hopefully be spared the rude awakening of being proved wrong.