Safety Basics for College Students

Stay Sober - Students can certainly go out for a good time once in a while, but getting intoxicated on alcohol or drugs is a sure way to become vulnerable. I’ll cover this topic in other posts, but the best way for your child to stay out of trouble is to stay sober, and avoid using alcohol or drugs.

Be Aware and Trust Your Instincts - It may take some time for students to settle in to their new surroundings, but almost everyone knows what suspicious or dangerous activities look like. When a couple of guys start shouting and shoving each other at a party, a fight’s about to break out, so it’s time to leave. When someone is walking through the parking lot at dusk checking every car door to see if it’s locked, call the police. When a friend is intoxicated to the point where she can’t stand on her own, it’s time to take her to a hospital.

Be Prepared - Does your child know how to report a crime in progress or suspicious activity? If not, let him know that there’s no mystery to it. Any 911 dispatcher will ask him everything he needs to know when he calls, but it is always a good idea to look around for addresses, street or building names, and landmarks.

Lock Doors - I really can’t emphasize this enough. Considering that larceny is the number one reported crime on college campuses, locking doors should be considered mandatory. Larceny, or stealing unsecured items, is a crime of opportunity and it can be prevented by locking room and car doors and by keeping backpacks, wallets, and purses with you at all times. Locking doors is also just a good habit to start before you go out into the world. Oh, did I mention, lock your doors!

Use the buddy system - College is a great place to make friends so there’s no excuse for students not using the buddy system wherever they go. Employing the buddy system is especially important for times when students will be out at night or at parties where alcohol is being consumed. Or, better yet, tell your child about using the Buddy, Buddy, Buddy system. 1. Go out with your buddy, 2. Stay with your buddy, 3. Go home with your buddy.

Use ICE – Having your child enter or update his “In Case of Emergency” or ICE contact in his cell phone will allow emergency personnel to contact you or a local emergency contact person if needed.