Most college campuses are pretty safe places for the most part, but you never know when a prowler might be praying on women who are alone, intoxicated, or both. You also never know when somebody might try to mug you, or if there is a psychopath planning a mass killing. These things are hard to think about, but they’re definite possibilities in our current social climate. That’s why it’s important to always think about your safety when out on campus. Here is some basic campus safety advice for college students.
Avoid Walking Alone
There is definitely safety in numbers. One of the best ways you can protect yourself from a potential attacker is to always walk with others, especially at night. Even just having one other person with you could quickly ward off any nefarious characters. In general, the more people you are with, the less likely that you will become a victim of a violent crime.
Stay Close to Public Areas
The last thing you want to do is walk by yourself at night in a desolate area. If you have a long distance to go by yourself, consider taking a bike or asking a campus security guard to give you a ride on one of their golf carts. If you like to go jogging, try to make sure that you choose a time to get your run in while there’s plenty of people out and about.
Sign up for Emergency Alerts
These days, there are several schools like Marylhurst University that will send out text messages to the entire student body if there is any kind of campus security threat that everyone should be aware of. This means that if there is some kind of a bomb threat on your campus, you will receive a message informing you that classes are cancelled and they will urge you to stay where you are.
Be Prepared
Whenever you are in a situation where you could potentially be attacked, you want to be prepared for the worst. You are sure to be a key target if you look like you’re fully enveloped in your phone and not paying attention. If you don’t have a set of keys on you, then it’s not a bad idea to pre-dial 911 on your phone and be ready to hit send. If you do have keys, be sure hold them with your hand in a fist, clasping a key between each finger. If someone does attack you, a swift punch to the face should be enough to send them running.
Wear a Beanie or Zip-up Hoodie
If you are a woman, it’s important to note that sexual offenders often look for women with long hair, either down, in a ponytail or a bun. It is very easy for them to approach the woman from behind and pull her from the hair while her guard is down. However, if you are wearing a hoodie or beanie, you can easily run away. You will of course have to unzip the hoodie in a hurry.