Stay Alert – Don’t Get Hurt! A Campus Safety How-To Guide

By Amelia Woolard

We won’t try to play it cool – college is awesome! Aside from being a truly transformative experience in a young person’s life, college allows students the space to find both personal and educational passions that hopefully translate into a lifetime full of meaningful work. Oh, and you’ll likely have a ton of fun while doing it and meet some cool people along the way.

But although college campuses often seem like an idyllic universe, they can also serve as a hotbed for not-so-awesome activities. In fact, far too many universities report regular occurrences of criminal behavior with burglaries and sexual offenses leading the pack. Additionally, gun violence has harmed 198 people and killed 122 people on-campus since April 2007, and in merely an eleven-year period, the epidemic has affected college institutions in 40 states.

Given everything we know about campus safety – or the unfortunate lack of it – we believe that it’s high time that current and future college students educate themselves on the very real, potential dangers of college campus life. Also, we’re aware that this blog has suddenly taken a “certain tone,” but it’s one coming from a place of care and concern. Now, don’t get all teary-eyed on us, instead, check out uCribs’ Campus Safety How-to-Guide and begin your personal safety training right here, right now.

Educate yourself on the crime in your immediate area.

When it comes to staying safe on campus, a good place to begin gathering information regarding neighborhood crime is with your local news outlets and government resources. Many major cities provide an interactive crime map where you can report the violation, time of the occurrence, and general location of the crime. Being aware of what you’re up against in terms of illicit activity is a good way to ground yourself in the facts and prepare accordingly.

Also, remember to never underestimate the crime in the location of your university. Just because your college of choice is in a quaint town where everyone is familiar with one another doesn’t mean that crime isn’t a possibility. On the other hand, in larger cities housing several universities, you may experience the illusion of safety due to the “safety in numbers” mentality.

The fact of the matter is you must always be aware of your immediate surroundings, whether you’re on- or off-campus, at both large and small schools. Every city has its problems, so don’t limit yourself on what university you choose based on location. By being cognizant of your area’s crime data, however, you’ll be one step ahead in terms of personal prevention.

Get in the habit of locking up.

While in high school, you may have gotten used to leaving doors unlocked, especially if you lived in a low crime area. But, one of the best things you can do to safeguard yourself against theft and other types of potential harm is to lock your doors on a consistent basis. This goes for your apartment and vehicle, in addition to any areas that you frequent or may house some of your most valuable possessions.

As a general rule of thumb, don’t leave your dorm room or apartment without locking all doors that grant entry inside. Love getting some fresh air while studying? Great! But, be sure to lock your windows after every use. If you park within a garage or other enclosed structure, always keep your car doors locked even while you’re inside of it.

We know that you’re learning all about existentialism in your Philosophy class, so there’s absolutely no denying that yes, the world is chaos, and you cannot control fate, but hey, there’s no harm in trying to intercept some of the bad with a few safety precautions. While we can’t guarantee that locking up your home or car will prevent all attempts of crime, there’s a good chance that encountering a locked door will deter thieves looking for an easy target.

Be aware of your social media posts.

File this one under things college kids didn’t have to worry about 20 years ago: crime as a result of social media posting. Yep, you heard that one right – today’s technology has made it all too easy for thieves to determine your whereabouts and plan any malicious activities around your daily schedule. From location services to tagged images, there’s a whole lot that can go wrong if you consistently overshare on social media profiles—just look to Kim Kardashian as a prime example!

For starters, it’s simple to create a fake account. This behavior has even earned a name in society: catfishing. It’s true that people have been known to not only create not only fake profiles, but also an entire intricate social network that is 100 percent non-existent. The person can be a stranger, or even someone you know. In fact, studies repeatedly reflect that most violent crime is committed by an acquaintance of the victim.

Once a suspicious person has successfully made it to your friends list, they can track your check-in behavior, see who you’re taking photos with, and learn basic personal information that can be used against you or to their advantage in a planned attack, such as the fact that you work nights at a local restaurant. See how easy it can be to determine your whereabouts and plan something malicious in the age of social media?

Learn some self-defense moves.

Sure, you may think that your parents were being dramatic when they suggested taking a self-defense class the summer before freshman year of college. However, considering the fact that an estimated 63 percent of colleges report on-campus incidences of aggravated assault, we’re betting that this will be the one time you don’t mind listening to ol’ mom and dad’s advice after all.

Luckily enough for you, it’s easy to gain access to a self-defense course. Many communities offer free or low-cost workshops, designed for young adults to learn the craft in a real-time setting where a designated attacker can test your new skills within a safe environment. There are even specific gyms solely dedicated to teaching the art of self-defense and fighting.

If you don’t have access to such a class, you can also find plenty of self-defense tutorials online, whether it’d be on YouTube, Instagram, or otherwise. We recommend Code Red Defense, KRAV MAGA TRAINING, and Fight SCIENCE, which offer breakdowns of various fighting techniques, insight into threat assessment, and guides on improving your psychological mind in the face of fear or violence.

Consider purchasing additional safety supplies.

In addition to following the above suggestions, you may also consider purchasing a few items that will aid you in your preventative measures and afford you some peace-of-mind. One of the most common items for college students to own is a vial of pepper spray. Usually packaged as a handy-dandy keychain, pepper spray can take down just about any assailant when sprayed within ten feet.

It’s typical for many young adults to carry whistles, and some states even allow for personal stun guns. Check your local laws before you go around tasing anyone, though! All jokes aside, you may also consider purchasing a personal safe for high-value items. Trust us, even locked apartments can be susceptible to theft, especially if you have roommates, and it’s not possible to monitor foot traffic through the house at all times.

While we highly recommend against bringing anything too expensive and/or irreplaceable with you to college, a personal safe can be great for shielding your second set of car keys or your stash of holiday gift cards from wandering fingers all too eager to swipe your belongings. Ah, can’t you just hear your mom’s voice ringing in your ears, as she says, “better safe than sorry?”

Being a college student is hands-down one of the most memorable experiences of your life. But given that you’re living in close quarters with other young – and sometimes irresponsible – people, it’s important to be aware of the bad that can come with the good. By paying close attention to your surroundings and arming yourself with both self-defense knowledge and know-how, you’ll be able to minimize any repercussions that occur if you do find yourself in one of those “worst-case scenarios.”

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