College Student Safety Guide
As a student, you will be more enthusiastic to have new friends and live in a different place but guys there are many drawbacks as well. In this article, you will be knowing various safety measures that can be taken by you in order to be safe and secure at the college atmosphere you live in.
College life is one of the most exciting experiences in your life since many of you will be living on-campus and a few off-campus which might be an entirely new atmosphere for you (if you are moving out of the house for the first time).
As a student, you will be more enthusiastic to have new friends and live in a place where you can have more fun but guys there are many drawbacks as well. It is better to be sure about your safety. In this article, you will be knowing various safety measures that can be taken by you in order to have a peaceful and be secure at the college atmosphere you live in.
Safety Tips for College Students
Here are a few safety tips that you'll have to follow.
Lock All The Doors Of Your Room
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The dorm may feel like a safe place because students are surrounded by friends. It might be easy to feel relaxed in college life but there are some habits that should always keep up to.
Locking your doors should be one of them when you are deeply asleep or alone in the room. If you haven’t locked the doors, there are chances of yourself letting a thief steal away valuable things from you. If there is a common bathroom, lock your room door as you come and go so that you never know what is awaiting you when you get back.
Doors should be locked both when awake and when sleeping.
Know Your Campus
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Some colleges will be in urban neighborhoods where there is a high crime rate. Other schools are in more rural areas that are not darkened with the crime.
Visit campuses and analyze whether you should be going or not before you go to school so you do not end up in a place where you do not belong to.
After going to college, take time to become familiar with campus location, landmarks, and streets so that you will be able to navigate your way around with ease. If you are new to the city, it is better to keep a local map with you that will help you find places you want to visit.
Contact Campus Security
The Campus Security Cutting Tool was introduced by the U.S. Department of Education that was designed to provide rapid customized reports for public inquiries relating to campus crime and fire data.
Most of the colleges will have patrol cars that are always driving around campus. If you are at a party and your friends have left, do not hesitate to call campus security for a secure ride back to the dorm even if it is just a five-minute walk.
Be Familiar With Your Neighbors
It is always a good idea to be aware of who your neighbors (if you live alone in an apartment) are so that you can ask them for help in case of any emergency. Be helpful to each other. No one will ever know the kind of situation you might fall in to, it feels better to have someone you can express it.
Be Aware Of Your Surroundings
It is the age and time where most of you will always be with headphones and a smartphone, the second you are plugged in, it seems like you don’t even exist in this world.
You will not be knowing what is going on around you which is exactly what you should be avoiding. When you find yourself doing it, it is time for you to should turn off the music and open your eyes to know what’s happening around you. You may not even notice a car coming in your way, or even a tree right in front of you.
Be Friends With Someone Who Is Trustworthy
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It’s natural to think you are “safe” amongst friends but you don’t really know them and their past, or what they are really as a person. Just because you go to school with them, don’t assume they are trustworthy. It takes time to know that. Spend some time with them and you will know if you can trust them or not. Find such a friend and have an awesome college life.
Save Emergency Contacts In Your Personal Devices And Have Some Cash
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There is an option in every smartphone- Emergency Call which is not at all used by most of you. Its time you save your family or friends numbers in it. It is one of the first things hospitals will check if you’re admitted alone because they are able to avoid your password to access your contacts. Also, it is better to list your emergency contact numbers and information in your book or a piece of paper and keep it with you all the time, maybe in the wallet.
It’s better to have some hard cash with you all the time, just in case if your debit cards get lost. You shouldn’t be stuck in a situation that scares you just because you don’t have the necessary funds to get out of it as quickly as possible.
Self-Defense
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We really hope that you will never have to use these defense mechanisms but having them with you can make a huge difference in dangerous situations otherwise you might not be able to get out of it. Knowing self-defense techniques will help you get out of such situations both in public and in your own home.
Being aware of the possibility of an attack can also help you from preventing them in the first place. Keep a pepper spray handy.
Walking around alone and especially in the dark is basically asking for trouble. It is better to be around with a friend so that if someone is messing with you, he/she will help you get out of it.
Inform Someone About Your Plans For The Day
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It is always good to inform someone about your plans so if you are not home when expected, they can call for help. If you have a close friend or sibling, you can put the find your friends’ app on both your phones to track down each other which might help them find you if you are stuck in a bad situation.
Privacy On Social Media And Real Life
Everyone wants to be a social media influencer at this age and it is common for everyone to post where they are and what they are doing on social media. These are the information a stalker will ever need to show up everywhere you are or will be. There is something called Privacy terms which you all will have to know.
If you are having a moment, choose the privacy of your own. In your room, there will be no hidden cameras or classmates peeping in to see what is going on. You also have more control in your room because you know who is around and who would hear you.
