subject: Safety Tips For College Students [print this page] College is an exciting time! It's a time when children stop being children and grow into young adults, complete with responsibilities of their own. Of course, few college students are fully ready to be adults right away, and many often find that they need a little help navigating adult life and staying as safe as possible while they do so. Here, we provide a few tips for staying out of danger while living the college lifestyle. If followed carefully, they practically guarantee a good college experience and, even more importantly, one that keeps students out of harm's way.
Use the Buddy System
When elementary school students take field trips, they are often told to "find a buddy" and to stick with that person at all times throughout the day. While this rule might seem childish, it works quite well during the college years as well. Students who are planning on going to a party, on a late night walk to the library, or anywhere unfamiliar are encouraged to take someone along with them. Not only is it more fun to do things with someone else, but this also provides two (or more) pairs of watchful eyes and decreases the chances of having something go awry.
Avoid Walking Alone at Night
Once you've gotten comfortable on campus, it can start to feel like the safest place in the world. Don't fall into a false sense of security, however, as crimes can and do take place on college campuses. If you have to walk to your car, to the library, or anywhere else after dark-even if it's somewhere on campus-find someone who can walk with you! If a friend is unavailable, consider calling campus security. It may seem like an unnecessary pain, but it could end up saving your life.
Use the eClick
College students and/or their parents may want to consider investing in the eClick, a handy GPS locator intended for use specifically by college students. This device is small, compact, and easily portable; many college students use theirs as key chains or simply slip them into their pockets, backpacks, or purses. The device does nothing until you activate it-by pressing the simple emergency button. When you press the button, an alert goes out to emergency professionals, an alert that includes your exact location. An emergency dispatcher will immediately call you to verify your emergency, but if you are unable to answer or do not know your code, help will be sent to you.
