Whether you are headed off to college for the first time ever or returning for your final semester, taking time to review basic safety tips could save your life. Here are 7 safety tips to help keep you safe on a college campus.
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
We live in a world of distractions. Headphones, smartphones, tablets and handheld video games provide distractions. They help make a commute feel shorter or more productive. These same tools and gadgets can make you oblivious to what is going on around you. The more zoned in you are on your device, the more zoned out you are to the world around you.
The best way to get out of an unsafe situation is to see it coming and avoid it all together. If you are distracted with a screen or can’t hear what is going on around you because of headphones, you will find it nearly impossible to recognize a potentially dangerous situation. So put your devices away, especially at night and when you are alone.
Don’t Go Alone
It seems cliche, but one of the worst things a college student can do is go walking alone at night. If you must walk to a class at night, make plans to meet up with someone in the class and walk together.
If you absolutely cannot find anyone to walk with you, check in with a roommate or friend before you head out. Let them know where you are going and what time you expect to be back. Check in with them when you get to your destination and again when you are heading back to your dorm room or apartment.
Carry Campus-Approved Self Defense
While campuses may regulate certain devices, odds are self defense spray is not on the list of prohibited devices. Even if certain types of pepper spray are disallowed, Pee Pistol is not banned on any college campuses we are aware of.
While Pee Pistol may disarm or disorient an attacker, it causes no long term harm. This makes all-natural Pee Pistol a great self defense tool for college students. It is also small enough to easily fit in a purse, pocket or backpack. If you do nothing else, carry some form of self defense spray around campus with you. We also recommend carrying a whistle to signal for help.
If you have any questions about carrying Pee Pistol or other self defense sprays on campus, you should check with campus security and the local police. They will be able to give you detailed information on regulations specific to your area and campus.
Know Your Campus
Take time to study your campus map. Know the routes you need to take to and from classes and labs. Looking out of place or lost can make you a more tempting target. Plus, when you know what your surroundings should look like, you will be able to more easily identify when something is out of place or doesn’t feel right.
Most campuses have emergency call buttons placed throughout campus. Know where these are located in areas you frequent. When walking to classes at night, you should adjust your route if there are no emergency call buttons along your current route. When parking, try to choose spots where you will be near or walking by these emergency call buttons.
Party Smart
Always go to parties with friends and leave with those same people. If your friends are ready to leave, leave with them. If someone wants to call it an early night, make sure everyone has at least one person with them. If necessary, walk your friend home as a group and then head back to the party after dropping them off. Do not stay at a party after your friends leave.
Whether you are down the hall at a friends or across campus, always drink responsibly. When you are intoxicated, it is far too easy for others to take advantage of you. Even if they don’t mean you harm, there are plenty of documented cases where harmless fun ended in serious injuries or death because one or more parties was inebriated.
Underage drinking is illegal and can cause you to lose scholarships, be kicked out of your campus housing and may even be grounds to kick you out of college. Don’t drink if you are under the legal age limit.
Lock Your Doors
Campus might feel like a safe, relaxed place, and it should. But that does not mean you should neglect basic safety practices. Lock your doors at all times, whether you are in your room or not. If you are alone in your room, this makes you less vulnerable. Locking your doors can also prevent theft, which is among the most common crimes reported on college campuses. If your building has locked doors, do not prop them open.
Be Prepared
If there is an emergency, don’t waste time looking for who to call. Have emergency contacts saved in your phone. You should also carry cash on you at all times. Whether your credit card isn’t working or gets lost or stolen, you don’t want to be stranded somewhere.
You can also set up an ICE (In Case of Emergency) app on your phone. Having these phone numbers saved in your phone make it easier for rescuers to know who to call on your behalf.
Order Your Pee Pistol Now
Add Pee Pistol to your college supply checklist. Better yet, order your Pee Pistol online today. By ordering now, you can check an item off your to-do list and ensure your Pee Pistol will be on hand when you start your fall semester.
Already back on campus? It’s never too late to add Pee Pistol to your backpack and dorm room supplies.