8 Campus Safety Tips to Stay Clear of Troubled Waters
More than 20 million students in the U.S. head to college every fall. But despite so many students and universities, even the safest college towns in America experience crimes like thefts, assaults, and recently, even riots. The good thing is most colleges and universities prioritize student and campus security in no uncertain terms. However, there’s always additional room to work on your own safety. Run through these vital campus safety tips if you are heading to college anytime soon.
8 Campus Safety Tips for Students Here are eight quick tips for ensuring safety for students on campus. Run through them and never run into trouble again. 1. Lock up Treat your dorm or apartment door like your house. Do not leave without locking up the main door. Even if it is for a few minutes, do not leave the door unlocked. Make sure to shut your windows or blinds if your apartment is on the first floor. If you host friends frequently, lock your valuables inside a drawer. Keep your electronic gadgets like laptops iPads inside a special safe. It is equally important to hide this safe from public view. You can use your closet to store this safe. 2. Switch on Safe Mode at Night Personal assaults and similar crimes generally tend to occur at night. We do not mean you need to smell danger in just about every corner. But it is always wise to avoid risks like walking alone at night. Use an ​on-campus carpooling service​ or call the campus security if it is too urgent. If you totally cannot avoid walking alone at night, keep something like a can of pepper spray handy.
3. Take a Tour of the Campus Safety Office The Campus Safety office of your school is funded by the tuition of students. You can make the most of the resource by using the services provided by it. The working office hours and contact number are most likely mentioned in the college website. But we suggest you visit the office in person when you arrive on campus. Also find out about the programs that are being conducted by the Campus Safety office. Look out for the following facilities in particular: ● ● ● ●
Emergency phone stations with blue lights Escort services on campus Safety maps with suggestions of secure routes Support for Onata Campus Services
4. Mind Your Social Media Privacy The social media is a great place to connect with friends, share important updates about your own life, and known what’s trending around the world. But the latest developments in this space have made us strongly believe that privacy of the global audience is at risk. Avoid adding locations to photos particularly on public posts. Never make public announcements about your plans to travel alone. Something that is extremely important and so many people ignore is the privacy settings section of their social media profiles. Make sure all location services are disabled. And do not share small details that might
reveal personal information. Once you post something on the internet, it stays there. 5. Know Your Roommates and Neighbors If you are living outside home for the first time, this becomes especially relevant. It is good to be friendly with your neighbors and roommates. This gives you a larger safety net to depend on as it will give you a community of well-meaning people that cares for your safety. Attend social functions with or among this group whenever you are available. This will improve the bond between your community members. 6. Tell Your Friends about Your Itinerary Let someone you trust know when you plan on returning if you are going out. This works out well among roommates. Share the schedule of your class with them. Most importantly, let them know if you plan on being out for the night. It’s all the better if your apartment dwellers and good friends are the same people. You all go out and come back together. The best thing is you will never have to walk to home alone.
7. Learn Self Defense Nothing is more empowering than the knowledge of self-defense. You will feel more confident especially if you have to travel or live alone. And we all not suggesting you fast track your way to a karate black belt to become a master of self-defense. On most occasions, a few weeks of training and classes are all you need. Depending on your interest, there are numerous styles of classes from where you can choose from. Seek out self-defense classes in area. Anything from Jiujitsu to Judo serves well as long as you have reasonable confidence after the classes. 8. Check Before You Get into Your Car Most of us do not really think at length before casually opening the car and starting off. We have had several cases of predators hiding in the rear seats of cars. This happens particularly when the car door is left open or the windows are rolled down. When you walk toward your car, find the best angle to look around your vehicle and check the back seat before you open the door. Make sure to lock the car and engage the alarm even if you leave the car for a few minutes. #campus #onata #campussafety #safeoncampus #campuscrimes #campusservices #onatacampusservices #gigeconomy #makemoney