Starting college presents many new challenges, primarily because you will experience a new environment away from home. Teaching your child the basic safety skills before attending college will come in handy when they are alone or making college friends. Here is a list of safety hacks for college students.
1. Familiarize Yourself With Your Environment
The first tip to ensure safety is to know the surroundings. Take a walk around the campus and get familiar with the place. Learn your way around, where the classrooms will be located, where the cafeteria is, and where you can find help if you need it. It is important to get in touch with the campus security office and assess the security in other residential areas like Texas A&M off-campus housing.
2. Stay Connected With Your Parents
If you find yourself in a scary situation, texting or calling your parents will let them know you are in trouble, and they can call for help. It is also recommended that they keep your number saved on their phone so they can quickly contact you if needed.
Always have your parents’ contact information saved on your phone as well. If possible, save their numbers under a name other than “Parents.” This way, if someone were to get a hold of your phone, they would immediately see who the contacts are.
3. Be Up-to-date with the Current News
Current news will keep you in the loop about the trends and crime rates. Local crime news will give you an idea of some of the common crimes in your area.
You can also check out the campus crime statistics to assess the safety in your school area. Using this information, you will adjust your schedule to be safer out there. Avoid poorly lit areas or walking alone at night as it may put you at risk of being mugged.
4. Employ the Buddy System
The buddy system in college is where students hang out a lot together. Sometimes, your classes may be scheduled in the evening or run a bit late. In such cases, it is advised to find a group of friends to walk with until all of you safely reach your destinations.
The same applies when you and your friends head out to have a good time. The rule of thumb to the buddy system is never to leave a buddy behind. It is more like a safety accountability partner. There is safety in numbers.
5. Careful What You Post on Social Media
In today’s age, most people constantly feel the need to post good times on their social platforms. They may not understand that by posting these photos, you are releasing a lot of information about your life, friends, family, and where you are.
These factors make it easier for someone who wishes you harm to find you. To minimize social media exposure, it is important that you:
- Disable the ‘locate me’ feature on your phone
- Avoid posting your current location
- Keep social media posts to essentials only
- Only post about a place or an experience long after you are gone from that area
6. Learn Self-Defense Techniques
It is important to learn to defend yourself in the face of danger. Taking some self-defense classes will boost your confidence. Always pay attention to your surrounding and always trust your instinct. A whistle or sound alarm may come in handy when you want to call for help when you are in danger.
Alternatively, you can always walk around with some self-defense devices like tasers, mace, and pepper sprays that you will use in the face of imminent danger. It would be best to disguise your safety supplies as everyday items like a key card. Ensure that the safety supplies are always in your reach.
7. Have the Emergency Hotlines in Your Contact List
It is crucial to reach for help when in danger quickly. Emergency hotlines like the police line or the contact number to an ambulance are essential numbers that need to be on your emergency contact list. Additionally, it is important to ensure that your emergency contact can be reached at all times. A safety alert app with emergency contacts will also come in handy.
Starting campus is an exciting experience. Using these safety hacks will make you and your loved ones feel more secure.
About The Author : Whesly Jhons
