Safety Tips for your teen going to College

The last several years Colleges all across the country have been exposed to some very high profile criminal cases. No college is immune to crime. College campuses are like most small or medium size cities they all have crime. Going away to college means a new mile stone of adulthood and adult responsibility.

For the first time in life, new college students are going to be wholly responsible for their own personal safety. Taking the time to teach your college bound teen common sense safety tips will help make them safety on or off campus. College students are surrounded by many inexperienced young people, they may face locals who hang around the edges of campus looking to prey on vulnerable young students. Although nearly 98% of the crimes committed on college campuses are related to theft, violent crimes are also a rising concern. Being a prepared college student can significantly reduce their vulnerability to violent crime

Here are some valuable tips for college bound students safety.

Do’s: 

• Familiarity - Get familiar with your surroundings as soon as possible Colleges disclose information about violent crimes on campus. This information is usually available from the campus police department or safety office. Visit your College Campus Police Department. Ask around to find out where the trouble spots are on campus and neighborhood. Many colleges offer basic training in safety techniques during new student orientation, take advantage of it.
•  Awareness - Know where you are, where you are going and what is going on around you. Pay attention to people, events and potential exit routes. Especially at times when you might be under the influence of alcohol.
• Preparation – Simply things like having a fully charges cellular telephone, an extra house key and money for a cab handy if something goes wrong.
• Travel as a group – Whenever possible, travel with another person, especially after dark.
• Plan ahead – Good planning keeps you safe. If possible avoid activities at night as much as possible. Regardless of your activities, tell someone what you are doing and whom you are doing it with. Especially if you are going on a date.
• On Campus – When walking around on campus travel on well-lighted and well-traveled streets at night avoid unlighted areas, avoid short cuts through areas near water and wooded locations.
• Exercising - If you exercise outdoors, stick to well marked path ways and routes. Better yet find an exercise partner to go with, there is safety in numbers.
• Act Confident - Pay Attention to everything around you, and stand or walk confidently like you know where you are going even if you don’t. Walk with your head up, Look around, Notice everything. Always scan your immediate surroundings. In addition, keep your distance when walking past strangers on the street or in dark areas.
• Exiting Your Dorm - When leaving your dorm or apartment, make sure that all doors and windows are locked – including the main building entry and exits.
• Be Leary - For those people who approach asking for directions or the time of day, be polite but keep a safe distance.
• Hide valuables - When walking in a bad neighborhood or at night, do not wear valuable jewelry. Keep your purse inside your coat or tucked close to your body. Do not carry a loose bag or backpack.
• Be Observant - Keep an eye out for anyone who is loitering or hanging out around your home, campus, after school work. College students are much more likely to be stalked. If you feel someone is following you, go to the nearest occupied residence or building and ask for assistance.
• Entering your Dorm or Apartment - When you get home, particularly after dark, do not hang around at the entrance of your residence. Make a quick check for mail and go in right away. If you feel something wrong, do not go in, go to a friend or neighbor’s house and call for police assistance.
• Trust your intuition - If a house party or a dorm room study session starts to make you feel uncomfortable, pack up your stuff and get out of there. Your safety is more important than being polite.
• Call the Police when you see something that does not seem right.
• Copy Important Documents - Make copies of important papers, credit cards, health ID cards. Place them in a safe place, give a copy to Mom if your credit cards are stolen you can call mom and she can give you the information.

Some Don’ts

• Distracted - Don’t walk with your MP3 player volume up to high. You should be able to hear what is going on around you.
• Distracted Redo – Don’t text and walk or read your cellular telephone while you are walking. Being distracted allows a predator to get closer to you than if you were not distracted.
• Go to a bad neighborhood - If you do not know about the safety of a neighborhood, ask someone you trust before you go there. Reconsider walking or driving alone while in a potentially bad neighborhood especially at night.
• Don’t go to ATM at night – Predators see people getting cash from an ATM and they look to target those people. Instead do it when you are with the group, during the day time.
• Don’t carry large sums of money.
• Don’t be a moving target - Do not give an attacker time to plan an attack. When going somewhere, keep moving. If you are in a parking lot that is potentially unsafe, get in your car, lock the doors and leave.
• Keep in mind that safety is the first priority! These safety tips are helpful to not only college students, but also all of us at any time. be safe!