While most would agree that safety is an important concern to have many students don’t take the necessary precautions to protect themselves from danger while they’re away at school. College campuses can often be fairly safe places to walk around, but they are also places where predators go hoping to find easy targets in students who are not paying attention to their safety or don’t think anything could happen to them.
When arriving on campus, students should know how to contact campus security and should keep the phone number saved in their phones. Many campuses use call boxes around the campus that let students easily get the help they need, and before anything ever happens students should know the location of these boxes.
It is also important to avoid walking alone at night. Even if you live in a fairly safe area you never know who could be around or waiting to get a student alone to rob or physically harm them. If you need to go somewhere at night, get a friend to walk with you or take public transportation. It might be more of a hassle up front, but it could save your life. To be extra safe, try to travel in groups on campus whenever possible and stay in well-lit, populated areas.
Students should also do what they can to stay alert. Never talk on a cell phone or listen to your headphones when you’re traveling places alone, especially if the location is unfamiliar or it is dark outside. Additionally, valuables like phones and music players should be concealed when possible to make students less of a target to those who would like to rob them.
Even the most wary students can find themselves in uncomfortable and potentially dangerous situations when it comes to going places with people they’ve just met. Even if you think that the person you’ve met at a bar or on campus is trustworthy, it’s better to get to know them first rather than go back to their place to hang out immediately. This can be especially true when alcohol is involved and your decision making capabilities are impaired. Remember, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Staying safe on campus isn’t impossible if you’re careful, know what to look out for and plan for dangerous situations in advance. Follow a few simple guidelines and you’ll be able to enjoy your college career feeling safe and happy.
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