Living in a college town may seem like all fun and games, but there are definitely some precautions you should be aware of for your safety. Something about being on a college campus, surrounded by your friends and other students makes you feel a sense of security. However, you can’t trust everyone. Whether it’s your freshman year or just another semester, take a look at the following 5 tips to help prepare you for any situation that may come your way!
[tweetthis twitter_handles=”@ForRentU”]Protect yourself and keep these safety tips in mind while in college! #College #Safety [/tweetthis]
Familiarize yourself with the campus. In the beginning of the semester, take the time to walk around the campus and become familiar with the different streets and buildings. In case of an emergency, you will know your way around so you don’t become frantic and start to panic because you can’t remember which way to go. You also will want to locate where each emergency spot is on campus. Each campus has emergency call stations scattered across campus and if help is requested, campus security will meet you at the station’s location.
Be aware of your surroundings. Not only do you need to know your way around the campus, you must ALWAYS be aware of your surroundings. Take the headphones out and stop looking at your phone while you’re walking. However, make sure your phone is in easy reach incase your need to dial 911; if you are in danger. You never know when an attacker will strike, especially when you zone out and are not paying attention to your surroundings, especially at night! Walk with confidence and keep your eyes peeled for any suspicious behavior.
Do not walk alone at night. Assaults can happen day or night, but are more likely to occur at night, especially when you are alone. Use the buddy system and walk with either a friend or better yet, in a group. You should also consider downloading a safety app on your phone as well. Take a look at Campus Safety? There’s an App For That for some great ideas. These apps will definitely make you feel safer when walking around campus.
Lock up. ALWAYS lock your doors, even when you’re home! You may think, “Why would I need to lock my doors if I’m home?” Well, if you’re sleeping or in the shower, you’re not going to notice the burglar take a nice stroll into your home. Not only should you lock all your doors and windows, make sure to do the same for your car. If your car is parked out on the street or in an open parking space near your home, lock the doors when you get in and lock them again when getting out. It may sound silly, but it doesn’t hurt to be extra safe.
Consider carrying pepper spray. This is an old safety tactic, but a good one till this day. Hopefully, you will never have to use it, but knowing you have it will make you feel a little safer and more confident. Keep it on your keychain and make sure it’s within easy reach if you don’t want to hold onto it while walking. Easier the reach, the more prepared you are in case of an attack. If you’re scared of accidentally pepper spraying yourself, they typically have a safety on them for that very reason.
At the end of the day, college should be a fun and safe experience. However, nothing is perfect so make sure to keep these precautions in mind so you’re prepared for whatever gets thrown your way! Better to be safe than sorry.
Get more off-campus living advice for students on ForRentUniversity.com. At ForRentUniversity.com, you’ll also find thousands of listings for off-campus housing near colleges and universities nationwide.