I used to love walking around at night or going off the grid for a few days, but then I realized how dangerous that was. People don’t always have the best intentions so it best to stay on guard and keep your valuables as close as possible. While you can’t live your life looking over your shoulder all of the time, there are some precautions or little tips that you can help keep you safe while traveling on campus.
Travel in groups
There is strength in numbers and that totally stands true when it comes to walking around campus. If you can, step up a buddy system when you go studying or go out partying. That way someone always has a buddy with them and is never left alone for someone to grab.
Let someone know your whereabouts
While it can be annoying letting someone know your every whereabouts, it’s so important to staying safe while traveling on campus. The reason why it’s so important is because if you don’t show up to a meeting spot, or come home after a night out, then someone knows that there’s a problem. They’ll start worrying about you and potentially get the police or family members involved until your found. This goes both ways though. Keep up to where your friends and family members are so that you can notice if something doesn’t seem quite right.
Use a campus escort system
A lot of campuses have a campus escort system. While the names of the system may be different, the general idea is the same. It’s a buddy system of two people that will walk you to your car or anything other location on campus that you need to go to late at night. I used to volunteer with my local campus escort system called Walk Home Cocky, and it was so much fun! You get to connect with all sorts of individuals as well as get a lot of homework or studying done.
Keep a self-defense device on you
Depending on the rules of your campus, some of the options for a self-defense device may not be allowed on campus. But if they are, I highly recommend you carrying a stun gun, pepper spray, or something else that can help protect you and makes you feel safe. Make sure that you practice or get trained on each item so that way if you every have to use it, you’ll be ready. But let’s be honest hopefully you’ll never have to use it.
Stay in well-lit areas while traveling
It may seem like a great shortcut through a dark alleyway or quick dash across a parking lot deck, but the time that it might save you isn’t worth it. Take a few extra minutes to stay in well-lit areas so that you can see if anyone is trying to approach you or snatch your backpack. Plus a lot of campuses have those call button boxes that you can call for help, and they usually located in common walk paths, so stay close to those.
Use a safety app that keeps you safe
While I don’t use this one directly, but I know a lot of other friends who use the app the Guardian to keep them safe on campus. You get to set different rules or requirements like if you don’t make it to your car in 15 minutes and turn the alarm off, the app will notice the police with all of your information and location to come rescue you. If this is something that would work for you, then totally go ahead and download it. It really works!
Learn self-defense
Learning how to protect yourself, through a self-defense class or some other fighting class, is so beneficial to college students. Sometimes you don’t have the option to have a study buddy or to let someone know your location, you’ll totally feel safe on campus when you know how to physically protect yourself. There is power in knowledge and feeling confident in yourself.
Most college campuses offer free self-defense classes as well as other fitness courses to help prepare and train you for any event.
Stay alert when walking on campus
Take your headphones out and put away your phone when you’re walking around campus. In our generation, people are so used to staring down at their phone that they sometimes forget to look around their environment. Predators and thieves are going to take advantage of that and prey on those who aren’t paying attention. Don’t be that person! Stay alert and watch your surroundings for any suspicious activity.
Be wary of strangers in your dorm
After the initial move in day and the rustling of everyone getting settled into the dorm room, you shouldn’t see any older people in the dorm. While I don’t mean that, every old person walking around is dangerous, but you need to look out for them. Strangers will sneak in behind another student or walk in through a door that is cracked to cause trouble. If you see someone that you haven’t seen before, then go to the office of your dorm or to a security guard and let them know. Go ahead and tell them any valuable information that you can give them, including a full description.
What is something that you always do that makes you feel safe on campus?
