08 Oct Student Security After Sunset — Crucial Tips for Campus Safety at Night
Sending students off to college can sometimes be an anxious time for parents. These concerns ramp up when parents think about students traveling on and off-campus after dark. Students deserve to have a social life but also need to know how to be safe. Parents should review and share these safety tips with their students so that both have a more stress-free semester.
Staying Safe on Campus at Night — Safety Tips for College Students
Get In the Habit of Sharing Schedules
In this era of social media and smartphones, communication has never been simpler. It can be helpful for students to use technology to keep loved ones in the loop on their whereabouts. Whenever students travel somewhere at night, it’s always a good idea to let close friends know where they are. This way, if a student doesn’t return for some reason, local authorities can be contacted.
Beyond sharing their schedule with others, students could use their smartphone as a “stand-in buddy.” As mentioned in a previous blog post, it’s always best for students to walk with a group of friends (aka “the buddy system”). However, if students travel alone, they could call or text a friend to have a “virtual buddy.” While this may not be as great as walking with a real person, it’s better than going it alone.
The “Bravery Bluff” — Always Walk With Confidence
In cases where students have to walk on or off-campus alone, they should remember to carry themselves with confidence—even if they’re faking it. People who keep their heads up and walk with a purpose are less likely to appear as an easy target. Even if students feel anxious, they should strive to have a naturally confident demeanor when walking around at night.
To help lessen any anxieties, students should first map out the quickest routes to their nightly destination. It’s also important to consider the lighting conditions where students walk at night.
They should pack a flashlight for areas where it’s too dark.
Consider Taking a Self-Defense Course
When the unthinkable happens, students won’t have a chance to think through the situation. In dire circumstances, instinct kicks in, which is why self-defense could be a valuable skill for students.
Luckily, many college campuses offer professional self-defense training courses. One of the most popular courses is Krav Maga, but mixed-martial arts and jiu-jitsu are also beneficial strategies. The whole point of learning such techniques is to be prepared in the event of an attack.
Students might consider joining a local self-defense class to master the basics. At the very least, there are many online self-defense tutorials that students can check out.
Never Be Afraid To Yell
Even if students don’t have self-defense training, they should know their voice is the most powerful alarm system. Yelling not only alerts others to a potentially dangerous situation, it could temporarily confuse an attacker if students know what to say.
According to self-defense experts, it’s best for students to shout commands like “go away” or “let me go” rather than simple words like “no” or “help.” There’s a greater chance forceful commands will disorient a thief, even if it’s just for a few seconds. Those few moments could be all a student needs to get out of harm’s way.
Prep for Pumpkin Day — Halloween College Safety Tips
College students may be too old to go trick-or-treating, but that doesn’t mean they won’t celebrate the spooky season. However, students need to consider their safety when choosing to go to Halloween events.
Ideally, students should stay sober at parties, but chances are most aren’t going to be that conservative. If students are traveling off-campus for an event that includes alcohol and drugs, they should plan their transportation beforehand. As always, students should travel with trusted friends, especially when partying.
Most significantly, students should establish a designated sober driver well in advance. If students use a ride-share vehicle, they should review the safety tips we’ve listed in a previous post.
Light Or Dark, Umergency Will Keep Students Safe
No matter how confident students feel about walking around at night, it’s always a good idea to take extra precautions. Arguably, the easiest way to be prepared for any emergency or health situation is to download the Umergency app. Whether it’s broad daylight or late at night, our app gives students the power to alert police and emergency services with the push of a button. Their
trusted contacts will also get instant alerts through the Umergency app, so everyone knows exactly what’s going on.
To find out more about how the Umergency app works, please check out this link.