School Safety Tips for Incoming College Freshmen
Beginning college for the first time can be an exciting experience, but also a little nerve-wracking, especially if your school is a long way from home. While most colleges take campus security very seriously, there are some unique safety challenges to living on campus that you didn't have to deal with when you lived at home. Here are three tips to keep you safe and sound when you arrive at school to begin your college journey.
1. Prep Your Cell Phone and Keep it Handy
Before you even get to school, you should learn the important numbers there you may need and program them into your phone. Then, always keep your phone with you wherever you go on or around campus, in case you need to use them in an emergency safety situation.
Some of the numbers you might want to program into your phone include:
The campus police or security office • The dorm office • The campus student clinic • A nearby taxi service
Also, be sure to indicate an "ICE" (in case of emergency contact) on your phone. It can be anyone from your parents to a trusted friend on campus. The "ICE" by their name will alert anyone who finds your phone to call this person if you have an accident or are the victim of a crime Disable geo-tracking on your phone and don't use "check-ins." This makes it easy for any potential stalkers to use social media to find you wherever you may be. However, do make sure your phone is always handy if you need to call for assistance. Carrying a pen with a hidden camera is also recommended, as you can use the pen to stab the assailant, while he pen records the incident. Then you can make a phone call and wait for the police to arrive, armed with the evidence of what happened to you.
2. Keep All of Your Doors Locked
It is a simple concept, but one that young people who are inexperienced with living on their own frequently forget. While you may take it as a given that you will automatically lock the door to your dorm and your car, it is surprising how easy this can be to forget, especially when you are in a hurry and feel like your surroundings are safe. If you are using a classroom or a lab on campus alone, keep the door locked while you are in it. To enhance your safety, always have your keys out and ready when approaching your dorm or car, so you don't have to spend time searching for them. An assailant or thief could easily come up on you and assault you while you are fumbling for your keys. Also, don't put any personal identifying information on your keys. If you lose them, whoever finds them could use them to let themselves into your home and rob or assault you when you arrive. You can also take great strides toward protecting yourself if anyone does break into your house or car while you're in it (or if they're there when you return) by taking a defense tactical training course.
3. Make Sure You Know What is Going on Around You at All Times
Always be aware of where you are, what is going on around you, who is near you, and what they are doing. Even if you are in a seemingly safe place on campus, you need to know. Studying in the back of the library where it is quiet is usually safe, but it could also be the perfect place for someone with ill intentions to get you alone. If you ever feel you are in a dangerous situation or are approached by someone obviously meaning to do you harm, it is enormously helpful to always carry your things in a backpack with a safety alarm. Most of the time, the sound of an alarm is enough to send a criminal running, especially if there are other people in the area.














