College is a place where people from all walks of life come together with one common goal in mind: Education.
Outside of just education, though, universities provide a place for young adults who’ve just left their parents’ protective nest to go out and explore a bit more of the world around them, often for the very first time. It really can be both very intimidating and exciting, especially with all the newfound freedoms that you now suddenly have access to.
However, this is also a time when you’re now the chief one making decisions and watching out for yourself. So, here are some tips to ensure you can stay safe while on campus.
1. Be mentally present
While on campus, it’s important to take precautions to ensure your personal safety. This can include walking around with a friend, especially at night as being in a group makes it harder for you to be singled-out and considered an easy target.
You should also take note of your surroundings, including knowing where on campus you currently are and knowing the number to call for campus police in the event trouble arises.
If you take nothing else from this, it is that you should always be aware of where you are, who you’re with, and plan accordingly.
As put by Andrea Black, Assistant Chief of Police for The University Police Department, “The most effective safety tool is awareness. Simply paying attention to your surroundings and trusting your instincts can prevent many unsafe situations.”
2. Keep your belongings secure
Keeping your belongings secure is one of the most important steps you can take to protect yourself, as burglary and theft are the most common crimes among college campuses. There are several steps you can do to make sure that your belongings are kept safe.
For one, keep your doors and windows locked, whether you are in your car, dorm, or at home. This habit will instantly make it much harder for someone to steal your property. Another bonus of locking your entryways locked is that, in a worst-case scenario, they can still help by providing evidence of forced entry.
Another good idea would be to make sure your electronics are registered with campus or your local police department and have the location tracking features enabled. Doing so will increase your chances of recovering items faster and filing a report easier.
3. Keep a self-defense tool
Having a self-defense tool on hand can be an effective way to protect yourself, but it is important to use it responsibly. Some common tools would be pepper spray, alarms, and tasers, which can also be used in combination with self-defense training courses to feel more confident in your ability to protect yourself.
However, it’s important not to get overconfident, and to check university policy and state laws to see what items are allowed on campus. UHCL policy states that handguns can be carried on campus if the person has the proper license to do so.
4. Social Media Safety
Let’s face it–social media is an essential part of keeping up with friends and family members these days, and, depending on if you moved away from home to attend, only becomes more essential to keeping those ties once you’re in college.
But just because social media is so widely adopted doesn’t make automatically make it safe. Weird, creepy, and potentially malicious people, when motivated enough, can use all the information provided by even just one semi-frequently used social media account to get an idea of how to best leverage that information to meet their own goals.
A good first step towards minimizing risk of is to ensure your account, especially if it contains personal information you wouldn’t want a stranger to know, is set to “private” so only friends you’ve chosen to share these things with can see what you post. Another good rule of thumb is to only accept requests from people you know personally or have trusted mutual connections with.
Additionally, making your social media accounts more difficult to find through mixing up the usernames you use, as well as avoiding using your real name if not necessary, are quick and easy ways of deterring your online presence from being easily acquired by potential bad actors.
Another huge step is making sure you avoid geotagging your photos or posts, at least when in the same place the photos were taken. Sharing your location in real time can give people an indication as to where you are currently, giving them a window of opportunity to potentially find you in person. All-in-all, be mindful of what you post and who you share it with.
5. Car Safety
Many people don’t think a lot about car safety, especially because of the apparent “bubble” it creates against the outside world. Just like an actual bubble, however, the barrier is easy to breach, and vehicles–especially stationary ones–can be very vulnerable places if you’re not alert.
This should go without saying, but always make sure you keep all doors locked and windows rolled up, either when driving or parked. Also, avoid leaving valuables in sight for attracting potential thieves. And, for those in larger vehicles, giving a quick peek under your car–as well as checking out the back seat–for any intruders before fully settling in is recommended.
Like most safety recommendations, these habits don’t take all that long, and could be literal lifesavers. It’s also encouraged you do your best to minimize distractions and refrain from multitasking, instead keeping your keys in hand as a quick first line of defense.
The most pressing or likely dangers may not always be what we envision, though. Parking lots can and do indeed pose a risk of hiding people with a variety of motivations looking to break into cars, but odds are you’re more likely to be at risk from someone already behind the wheel.
According to campus police, “If there’s one area where we encourage extra caution, it’s the parking lots. With so much vehicle traffic, the bigger concern is accidents rather than crime.”
The University Police would also like to remind everyone to Download the Safe Zone app, which is free for both staff and students. The app connects you directly to campus police and medical help, as well as letting you report suspicious activity through the “See it? Say it” section. You can also call the department’s 24/7 hotline directly at 281-283-2222. Students can also look at the department’s website for more information, such as the daily crime logs and annual safety report.
