College is exciting, mostly because it means you won’t have to live by your parent’s rules anymore. You can go anywhere you want when you want. Going to college is a step towards independence. But, regardless of how exciting it sounds, with independence come A LOT of responsibilities, like personal safety. It doesn’t matter how big or small your college town is, things happen. It might not happened to you, but being prepared for those situations is key to staying safe in college. I’m lucky enough to say I have never gone through a situation where I felt unsafe while in college, but I’ve definitely heard so many bad things, from rapes to robberies and other things in between. So, I put together this guide for you ;).
Nights Out
We all know that college = parties + alcohol. And that’s okay, partying and having lots of fun with your friends is part of the whole college experience. But there’re a lot of things that should be considered regarding safety. There are a couple tips below that’ll hopefully help you to stay safe during a night out.
Related: How To Stop Partying When It Becomes A Problem
Make a plan
Talk with your friends about the party you’re going to. How are you going to get there? How are you going to go home? Will you stop for food? Are you pregaming first? Make sure you and your friends are on the same page and leave no one behind.
Also, let your friends know (while they’re still sober) what you’d consent to at the party. Let them know if you want to hook up with someone even if you’re drunk or tell them not to let you drink more once you’re already drunk. Or tell them to keep drunk you from doing stupid things.
Have a designated sober friend
This might not work every time you go out. But having a sober friend(s) that can take care of drunk you and all your drunk friends is SO helpful. It’s basically like having a designated driver that also babysits at the party. This friend can keep you safe while you’re drunk and also prevent drunk you from doing things sober you would never do.
Stay together
This goes without saying. When you go out, go out with a group of friends and stay with them. In a party full of people, it’s kinda hard to keep an eye on your drunk friends or for them to keep an eye on you, so even if the group gets separated, stay with a friend or two.
Make sure your phone is charged
My phone is literally always dying on me, so I always make sure to carry a portable charger, especially when I’m going out. The last thing you want to happen is to realize your phone is dead just when you need to text a friend or get an uber. Make sure you charge your phone before you go out, whether it is while you’re doing your makeup, eating dinner or anytime in between. If you’re taking a purse with you or a jacket with pockets you could take a portable charger.
Once, during my freshman year, me an and my friends went to this frat party. At some point I wanted to leave, but my friends didn’t, so I left alone, convinced I knew how to get home. But, somehow I got lost and my phone was completely dead. I had NO idea how to get back to my sorority house. It was like 3am and I was completely alone on the street with no idea on what to do. Luckily I came across one of my school’s public safety offices and asked some officers to take me home. So, yeah after that I ALWAYS made sure my phone was charged.
ALWAYS have cash on you
Nowadays, we always rely on our debit and credit cards to pay for everything. But sometimes, in case on an emergency, cash might be needed. So it can be helpful to carry some cash on nights out.
Watch your drink at all times
Not only girls, but also guys can get roofied. And you’d be surprise to know how many and how easy it is for someone to put something on your drink without you realizing. So, please be careful. Before you drink anything, see them pour the drink in front of you. And also, watch your drink at all times.
Dating
Almost everyone has a profile on at least one dating app. Me, I have tinder, bumble and hinge AND I’m still single… go figure. ANYWAYS, I’ll complain about not having a boyfriend on another post.
Even though it might not seem dangerous to go an a date with someone you’ve met on those dating sites, you never know what could happen. After all, you’ve never met this person before. So, here are a couple tips to stay safe while meeting people online.
Check their social media
STALK them on social media… if it’s for your own safety is it still considered stalking? I don’t think so… so scroll away!
I feel like it’s important to check that persons social media profiles because of the following reasons. He could be a catfish or he could be a serial killer. You never know.
Meet in a public place
Even if you just want to hook up with that person, you should meet him in a public place you are familiar with. Just to make sure he has good intentions.
Let your friends know
Whenever I go on a date with someone I’ve met online, I always always tell someone, whether it’s my roommate, my sister or a friend. I let them know where I’ll be and who I’ll be with. I even share my location with them, just to be safe. This way, they’ll know if I’m safe and if something goes wrong and also, they’ll be able to get me out of a bad date.
+ other tips
Take advantage of your school’s resources
Colleges offer a variety of services regarding safety. For example, shuttles that take whenever you want to go late at night, security guards everywhere 24/7 and “HELP” stations located all around campus. Know what your school has to offer and check the protocols and security guidelines. I’m sure those are mentioned on orientation, but you should check them after, as well.
Avoid walking alone at night
College campuses can be a little creepy late at night and unfortunately most incidents are likely to happen at night, when it’s dark. So, avoid walking alone at night and if you happen to find yourself walking alone at night to your dorm or to a building just don’t stop moving, walk fast and look around every couple minutes. Stay aware of your surroundings.
If you’re walking alone at night, avoid wearing headphones and looking at your phone. Because you might get too distracted to realize someone might be following you. Keep your phone in your pocket until you reach your destination.
I personally avoid walking alone at night at all costs, especially since I live in New York and it can pretty scary in some places at certain times. I take Ubers instead or ask a guy friend to come with me.
Carry pepper spray
Chances are, you might never use that pepper spray and people might even make fun of you for carrying that cute pink pepper spray, but better be prepared than sorry. Some people might even suggest carrying a personal alarm with you at all times, but honestly I don’t think you need it. You can always call the police with your phone. Pepper sprays are legal throughout the 50 states but there are some size restrictions in some states like New York.
Dorm safety
Don’t forget to secure your dorms and windows
This is an obvious tip, but it is also something we sometimes forget to do. Doing this will keep you safe and also it will prevent some drunk friends that live in your floor from coming into your dorm when you’re asleep.
During my freshman year, a close friend was almost raped in her own dorm room. She and her roommate had left the door unlocked overnight and some guy that lived down the hall got into her room. He was drugged and tried to rape her. Luckily, people heard her scream and intervened. So, yeah, please always lock your doors to stay safe in college.
I have all sorts of college related posts on this blog, feel free to check them out!
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