Common Sense Home Safety Rules You’re Breaking
There are so many safety tips that may seem like common sense, but for some reason people (myself included) break these rules all the time. Between our hectic work and home schedules, it can often be easier to trust the outside world not to harm us, but in reality this is never a safe way to live; especially in a busy, high population city like New York or Los Angeles.
But no matter where you live, here are some common sense tips you’re probably ignoring:
1.) Lock your door. This has to be one of the easiest things to do and yet so many people fail to do it! Sure, you’re probably in a hurry, and sure, you’re probably only going to be gone for a second, but just take the extra moment to lock your door! Most home burglars look for the easiest possible home to break into, and an unlocked house is certainly very appetizing. It takes hardly any time at all, and doing it every time you leave the house will ingrain the habit into your mind.
2.) Leave a light on. We’ve been trained over the years to turn all the lights off when leaving a room, and there’s definitely nothing wrong with doing our part to save the earth on a daily basis. However, leaving a light on in the window at night will go a long way towards saving yourself from a dangerous situation. Burglars want to be as unseen as possible, so even if they know you aren’t home, a light is still going to deter them for fear that someone else will see them. Use a compact fluorescent bulb to save on your utility bill spiking through the roof and even pair it with low-playing music to better protect yourself.
3.) Be careful when answering the door. This is home safety 101. Even as young children we were all taught to be careful of strangers, yet as soon as we grow up we throw all of that well-intentioned advice out the door…literally. Don’t let your trusting nature get the best of you in this situation. Unless you’re expecting an electrician, don’t automatically open the door just because someone is dressed like one. Put that peephole to good use!!
4.) Get to know your neighbors. The quickest way to find out if anything suspicious was going on while you were out is to ask the people that were there. Your neighbors are you best alarm and surveillance system, not to mention they probably have the same goals that you do: to keep everyone in your building/complex out of harm’s way. Plus, knowing your neighbors will help you both help each other. You can pick up their mail for them when they’re out of town and they can do the same for you. Everyone wins!
5.) Get a pet. It doesn’t have to be a dog, really any pet makes a thief uncomfortable. Even birds will make a loud ruckus if someone unfamiliar comes barging in, not to mention starts rummaging through stuff. Remember, thieves want to choose the easiest target possible, and a locked, well-lit apartment with a loud pet is definitely not the easiest target.
And don’t forget; for dorm safety items (like pepper spray, safes and personal alarms), check out our store at www.secureoncampus.com, and for dorm decorations (like dorm lighting, fun drinking games, and wall decals) check out our store at www.thegoodlifeoncampus.com!
Reducing Hazardous Waste in Your Home
When you think of the ways your life could be improved, the reduction of hazardous waste in our homes is usually pretty far down on the list. However, we feel it should be moved up a notch or two. It’s not just about your home being clean - a clean home can still be a hazardous landmine – it’s about making sure the place you sleep, eat and drink is as safe as possible, and we’ve got a few ways to help you do that.
1.) Know your labels. Know what you’re buying before you buy it. Having a harmful product in the house is almost as hazardous as using it. Plus, if you have children or pets in your home they are surely bound to run across it someday. You also don’t want to be moving a product from one labeled container to an unlabeled one. You want to make sure that you or anyone else that might use something like a specific cleaning supply knows exactly what they are getting into. Keeping it in a labeled container also allows you to do step #2:
2.) Follow directions. In this day and age, directions are really treated as more of an afterthought. For the most part, we should be able to figure out how to use something. However, accidently using too much could be incredibly unsafe. That’s why there are directions in the first place; to make sure we aren’t exposed to a dangerous amount of a certain chemical.
3.) Store your products properly. Many chemicals can change if stored at certain temperatures, so make sure your products are kept at the right one; often between 50 and 80 degrees in a dry environment, but some products have more rigid storage requirements. Exposure to humidity or sunlight can also change the composition of what’s inside, leaving you with a surprise product made out of already hazardous materials in your home.
4.) Give away extras. If you don’t need it, don’t keep it! There’s no point in simply letting git sit in your home. Unused cleaning supplies can be given to a friend that hasn’t started their spring cleaning yet, unused pesticides can be donated to plant nurseries and paint can be donated to theater groups.
5.) Dispose of products properly. As convenient as it may be, simply tossing the empty container (or even a container with remaining product) into the garbage can is not the best choice. Potentially hazardous materials need to be handled at a proper waste disposal site to ensure they don’t end up in a landfill, seeping into the groundwater or contaminating our lakes and streams.
And don’t forget; for dorm safety items (like pepper spray, safes and personal alarms), check out our store at www.secureoncampus.com, and for dorm decorations (like dorm lighting, fun drinking games, and wall decals) check out our store at www.thegoodlifeoncampus.com!
5 Cheap Ways to Increase Your Home’s Security
Everyone wants to live in a safe and secure environment, but let’s be honest, everyone does not have extra thousand dollars lying around in order to equip ourselves with a decent home security system. Plus, take away the fact that many of us aren’t allowed to have a dog in our current dwelling and we might literally feel a little exposed. Never fear though, we’ve put together a few ways to keep your home safe when you don’t have a fortune to spend.
1.) Have a roommate. Whether you live with a friend or a significant other, the more people you live with the less likely a criminal is willing to risk breaking into your house. When you are the only resident, all they have to do is follow one schedule. When you’re not home the whole place is up for grabs, but when you have a roommate, that’s a whole other person they have to keep track of. In addition, when you go out of town there’s a good chance your home will still be occupied.
2.) Fake a pet. Landlord won’t let you keep a dog in your house? A burglar doesn’t know that. Even a simple “Beware of Dog” sign on your front gate will be enough to deter the majority of home burglars. The best “fake it” story I ever heard was a mother that accidently broke the lock on her daughter’s front door, so while the house had to spend a few days unlocked before it could get fixed, the mother left a sign on the door that read:
Susan –
I accidently let your snakes out. I had to go to work but I’ll come by later to look for them.
Sorry,
-Mom
3.) Ask the neighbors to help out. If you’re going to be gone for a weekend, ask a neighbor if they wouldn’t mind parking their car in your driveway for a couple nights. Have them stop by and get the mail for a few days as well. Nothing says “no one has been home in days” like a steadily growing stack of mail in your entryway.
4.) Set your timers. It’s fairly easy to set a timer to a few lights or your television within your home. They only cost roughly $15 and you can plug your television or lamps into them. Having flickering lights and sounds in your home will make it seem less obvious that it’s actually completely empty.
5.) Get a cheap alarm. The typical burglar is not some kind of professional, but actually a male teen living in your neighborhood. In addition, most burglars want to spend no more than 60 seconds breaking into your home. If it takes longer than that, they’ll move on to an easy target. So one of the best deterrents isn’t a fancy home security system, but a simple, loud alarm. You can a simple door alarm up at the store for about $20.
And don’t forget; for dorm safety items (like pepper spray, safes and personal alarms), check out our store at www.secureoncampus.com, and for dorm decorations (like dorm lighting, fun drinking games, and wall decals) check out our store at www.thegoodlifeoncampus.com!
Renter Safety Issues Solved
Renting a home is one thing, but being a renter with a few of the issues listed below is just plain dangerous. Hopefully, if any of these things happen to you it will be nothing more than a mere headache, but just in case things get a little heavier than anticipated, here are a few ways to get yourselves out of the following situations:
1.) Unwanted guests. Far and away one of the worst parts about renting: the random people you have to deal with. If you have a roommate, that means at some point their brother, good friend from high school, old sorority sister or even “this really, totally awesome guy I just met at the bar last night” all have a free pass to your home. And if you don’t have roommates, you’re still going to have to deal with the occasional surprise home inspection (read your lease, it’s in there) or even an additional roommate if your landlord decides he needs an extra room for his uncle that was just released from rehab. I’m making it worse than it sounds, but you get the point.
So how do you protect yourself? Well first of all, make sure the important things are kept somewhere secure. That means anything you’d rather not be messed with (like your collection of old vinyl records) needs to be kept in your bedroom. Then keep it locked up. Door locks, safes, and padlocks can work wonders when dealing with random house guests.
2.) Sketchy appliances. Of course the first thing you should do whenever any appliance breaks is to notify your landlord. Most states have a “duty of repair” which requires them to keep certain appliances (like those used for heating, cooling, electrical, plumbing and sanitary, just to name a few). Keep a record that you reported the problem in writing, and make sure it’s dated as well. You don’t want to be stuck with the bill if you need to move out three months later and the refrigerator still hasn’t been fixed.
The main issue though, is to get the item fixed as soon as possible. A broken stove could result in a more dangerous situation, such as a gas leak. After a reasonable time frame (usually two weeks), you can take your complaint to local housing officials if your landlord hasn’t attempted to make any progress. You can also contact your landlord to tell them you will be hiring a professional to fix the damaged item and you will be keeping the receipt for reimbursement.
3.) A negligent landlord. Or, the problem is your landlord him – (or her) – self. Maybe they aren’t keeping up on any of their required duties, such as putting a new lock on your door, fixing the broken step on the front stoop or replacing the missing handrail on the fire escape. If this is the case, move! These things all directly affect your individual safety, and you deserve better!
And don’t forget; for dorm safety items (like pepper spray, safes and personal alarms), check out our store at www.secureoncampus.com, and for dorm decorations (like dorm lighting, fun drinking games, and wall decals) check out our store at www.thegoodlifeoncampus.com!
Got anything to add?
Questions Parents Should Ask Campus Police
When a student is trying to choose a university or college for the next four years, the efficiency of the campus security is probably the last thing on their mind. Other factors, like the academic and athletic program, price and distance from family and friends will probably be closer to the front of their mind. So here’s where the parents can come in. Wait until your son or daughter has narrowed down their top choice in schools to two or three and then ask each school these 5 questions:
1.) What qualifications to your campus security officers have? Many campus security officers have to go through similar training to that of an actual policeman, but other schools simply make them go through an 8-hour course, hand them a Taser and call it a day. You’ll want to make sure the people responding to possible threats actually know what they’re doing, compared to just a scared kid on a work-study program.
2.) Are background checks performed before security members are hired? You would think, in this day and age, that everyone would undergo a background check before they were hired, but it’s not the case. Background checks do cost money (not a lot of money) and do require some time, so a financially strapped college that needs to fill a job ASAP might skimp on something like this. Plus, the hiring process for campus security could be very different than the hiring process of the school’s professors and other staff. Don’t assume that just because one staff member has undergone a background check that all staff members have undergone a background check.
3.) How is the campus security funded and is it adequate? The national norm for the amount of an institutional budget that is spent on campus security is about 2.5-3 percent. How does this school use their funds? They can brag and brag and brag and brag about the level of personnel they have working for them, but if it’s only people because that’s all they can afford, it really doesn’t matter how outstanding they are. There is only so much so few people can handle. A financially strapped institution probably won’t be able to offer campus security escorts during sticky situations, for example.
4.) Where can I see the crime statistics for this school? One great way to know the effectiveness of campus security is checking to see how many crimes are actually reported. A safe campus doesn’t necessarily mean nothing is reported, it means that of the crimes that are reported, a healthy percentage of them are pursued and solved. Schools with little to no crime reports often mean that students aren’t reporting crimes because nothing ever happens to the perpetrators anyway.
5.) How often does the school conduct a comprehensive risk and threat analysis? The old, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” mantra doesn’t work here. Every few years a whole new slew of problems arise, and if the campus security hasn’t been doing its research they won’t be able to do anything about them before it’s too late. Think about it; Facebook stalking has only been around fairly recently. Your school better have a plan set in place for dealing with something like that.
And don’t forget; for dorm safety items (like pepper spray, safes and personal alarms), check out our store at www.secureoncampus.com, and for dorm decorations (like dorm lighting, fun drinking games, and wall decals) check out our store at www.thegoodlifeoncampus.com!
Can you think of any questions we’ve forgotten?
When You DO Need to Get Involved
There are times and situations when you just need to keep to yourself and not get involved. However, there are also other circumstances that make it necessary for you to stop whatever you’re doing and help out. These are some of these times:
1.) When someone is in danger. Now let me be very clear here, this does not mean that it’s appropriate to put yourself in danger, it just means that something needs to be done. If your friend is in a violent and dangerous relationship, for example, it’s not recommended that you march over to their house and give their significant other a taste of their own medicine (as much as we all would probably love to do that). Instead, you need to have a serious talk with your friend about what is happening behind closed doors. Naturally, this can be an incredibly difficult thing to talk about, so don’t pressure them for information. Simply let them know that you are there for them and then keep an eye out for suspicious behavior.
2.) Someone can’t take care of themselves. Let’s say you’re walking down the street and you see someone so drunk they’re stumbling in and out of traffic. Now of course it’s not your job to go get them, prop them up, take them home and nurse them back to health, but it is your job (as it is everyone’s job) to do something. Simply calling the cops and explaining the situation (you can even do it anonymously) is enough.
3.) When you’re unsure. This one can be debated, but I’d rather fall back on the “it’s better to be safe than sorry” mantra. For example, a few years ago there was an older woman who lived a few houses up from me. I knew her because my cat often went missing, and I always ended up knocking on her door asking if she’d seen him. One day, while out for a run, I noticed a man in his mid-40’s forcing himself into the house. I went and knocked on the door and no one answered, but I heard someone moving around inside. I called the cops and soon they were there talking to the man. Apparently she was out of town and this was her son, and she had forgotten to leave a key so he could get into her house. When she came back into town (and her son had left) she came over and thanked me for checking on her. Moral of the story: she was perfectly fine, but under different circumstances her life could’ve been in serious danger, and she truly appreciated that at least someone was looking out for her.
4.) When you’re the only one that knows anything. Many bad deeds happen in secret and behind closed doors and if no one knows what is going on things will continue the way they are. If you witness something that is wrong (a professor being inappropriate, a roommate blackmailing another roommate, etc.) speak up! Failing to do so does not keep you on the side of neutrality, it puts you on the side of the offender.
And once again, it’s better to be safe than sorry! Check out our store at www.secureoncampus.com for plenty of personal safety equipment like pepper spray, personal alarms, dorm room safes and more!
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3 Safety Concerns for College Students in Winter
Well folks, November has finally come around, which means the snow and cold won’t be far behind (if it hasn’t hit some spots already), and with plenty of snow and cold comes a whole new batch of safety concerns. So read on, take notes, and be safe this winter!
1.) Cold related sicknesses. Sure, it seems like no big deal (after all, what’s a little cold every now and then?), but we’re talking more about something like hypothermia. Every year, I hear about some college student getting drunk at a holiday party, trying to walk home (or just walk to across the street) and then never quite making it and freezing to death in the bushes outside their house. It’s colder than you think out there, and you need to be smart. Not that walking around town drunk was ever a good idea, but keep a little closer eye on your friends this year.
And if you do lose your friend, find their phone. I recently just installed a “lost phone” app (called Find iPhone) on mine and my boyfriend’s phone. If he can’t find his phone, I use the app on mine and it makes his phone beep while showing me exactly where it is on a GPS map. So see, it’s convenient if you can’t find your phone, or if you can’t find the person that is probably with the phone.
2.) Car dawdling. This time of the year is a jackpot for predators looking to jump an innocent victim on their way to their car. Not only do people generally take longer to get into their car (clearing the snow off of the door handle, scraping ice off the windshield), but it also takes people longer to leave. They sit in the car until it warms up a bit. They text while their windshield thaws. Don’t do that! Your best idea would be to install an electric starter that you can use from inside. Your vehicle remains locked, but it’s warming up without you inside it. That way you unlock it, put the key in the ignition and leave.
And if you can’t install an automatic starter (I know, my car is too old for this kind of luxury), please be smarter about how you prepare yourself. Have someone out there with you to help you clear off the snow or ice. Do their car at the same time while you’re out there. Start your car, go back inside and watch from a window inside, and carry some pepper spray or a personal alarm on your keychain just in case anything does happen.
3.) Less awareness. Walking somewhere in the winter time gives a whole new set of challenges. Very often you don’t have the best footing (walking on partially frozen sidewalks), you can’t hear much between the hat covering your ears and the wind whipping by, and you probably aren’t focused on your surroundings; you’re focused on staying warm. Personally, I’m guilty of this all the time; I put my hands in my pockets, look straight down and walk as fast as I can in the general direction of my destination.
This is stupid: very, very stupid. Predators know how to spot an easy target from a mile away, and someone with their hands in their pockets that isn’t even looking 10 feet in front of them is definitely an easy target. Plus, it’s cold out. A predator might wait all night for the perfect victim on a warm summer’s eve, but in 10 degree weather in the middle of winter? They’re going to take the first bait that comes along. So don’t be an easy target. Better yet, get a ride.
And don’t forget to check out our store full of college safety equipment at www.secureoncampus.com!
Do you have any additional winter safety tips?
Does Your School Need an Update?
I’m sure you have all heard the phrase, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” at one point or another. And while this phrase is certainly useful in certain occasions, there are situations when this way of thinking is downright dangerous. Your school’s role in the level of your safety, unfortunately, happens to be one of them.
Folks, let’s get completely honest for a second here: the world is changing and it’s changing fast. If your school isn’t continually updating their safety procedures, you are in danger. In fact, you’re probably in more danger than you even realize.
An example you say? Why certainly!
Just this month, a student was raped, in her dorm, by four unknown students that did not reside in that dorm. Just how did they get in? They were signed in, by a student that didn’t know them. Now even though this is a blatant violation on both the part of the student signing in people they didn’t know as well as the individual that let them go (they required only 3 out of the 4 students to sign in), there’s an even larger problem at stake. All it took was for a few people to convince someone to sign them in and the entire dorm was at their mercy. Now I don’t know about you, but I’m the kind of person that jumps at the chance to help someone out. Of course I tell myself I would never sign in someone I don’t know, but change the circumstances a little bit and I easily could’ve been in the same situation.
What if it was snowing outside and they just wanted to sit in the lobby? I’d sign them in so they could sit where it was nice and warm. Sure it meant they could go upstairs, but I’d trust them not to. Bad idea? Definitely.
The problem here lies mostly with the school. A policy that requires you to be signed in by someone you may or may not know means it just takes one little white lie to get you in the door. In this case, the school is revisiting their security policy as well as conducting regular floor meetings to reiterate the school’s safety policies.
So what do you think should happen? Should the student that signed the individuals in be punished? What if the student did know them and they ended up raping someone without the student’s knowledge, should they still be punished?
Do you have any ideas for a possible policy change that might prevent this sort of thing from occurring in the future? What kind of dorm security policy to you have at your school? Do you think it’s adequate or that it needs to be updated?
Let us know, we’d love to hear your opinions on this matter!
In the meantime, don’t forget to check out our store (www.secureoncampus.com) to pick up some personal safety equipment of your own like various personal alarms and pepper spray.
How to Negotiate a Confrontational Situation
Safety isn’t just about knowing what to do when something happens to you, it’s also about knowing how to avoid making a situation worse, and whether you’re at a party and fight starts up or you’re trying to discuss your final grade with a hostile professor, you’re going to want to handle the situation in the best possible way. Otherwise, you could end up getting clocked in the face, or worse, a horrible, undeserved final grade.
1.) Speak softly and move slowly. There’s a common difference between people who don’t get in fights and people that do get in fights: people that don’t get in fights have mastered the art of being non-threatening, and when you are non-threatening it means the other person has no reason to get defensive.
2.) Use “I” terms instead of “You” terms. You may have heard this suggestion before, but what does it mean? Well here’s an example: instead of saying, “You’re not making any sense,” say something like, “I can’t seem to understand what you’re saying.” Using “you” terms puts the blame on the other person, while using “I” terms shifts the problem to yourself. You’re essentially taking credit for the lack of communication, which once again makes it difficult for the other person to become defensive.
3.) Affirm their viewpoint. Acknowledging their perspective will also help to keep down their level of defensiveness. Say something to your busy professor along the lines of, “Hey, I know that you have a million things to do right now, but I’d really appreciate it if I could talk to you about my grade for a second.” And if you’re trying to keep your buddy from knocking out a random stranger at a house party, starting off your statement with, “Look, we all know that guy is a total douche but…” and then make your intelligent point.
4.) Ask open ended questions. Open ended questions give the other person a chance to express what is actually bothering them. Questions that end in yes and no aren’t going to get you anywhere. A flustered roommate probably isn’t mad at you; they probably have a lot on their mind and are taking it out on you. As soon as you get to what’s really on their mind, things will run more smoothly around the house. So instead of asking if you both should watch a movie tonight, ask them what kind of movie they’re in the mood for. Their answer should lead to further conversation.
5.) Know when to quit. Sometimes it’s just time to give up. That doesn’t mean you’ve lost the battle, necessarily, it simply means you’re avoiding making anything worse. If you’re trying to negotiate with someone and it starts becoming pretty clear that you aren’t going to be making any progress anytime soon, it might be time to call it a night. Cut your losses and if possible visit the situation at a later time.
And remember, if the situation can’t be deescalated, it’s always important to carry some sort of personal safety device, like a personal alarm or some pepper spray. Check out our store (www.secureoncampus.com) for even more dorm safety equipment!
Do you have any tips for handling these kinds of situations?
Your Most Dangerous Thought
College can be a tricky time in a person’s life. It’s as if you are expected to know everything about who you are and what you will become before you even turn 19, and the bet tens of thousands of dollars that you are right. Oh wait, nevermind…that’s exactly what college is. So it’s completely understandable if you’re thinking through a few things.
However, there is a difference between weighing the pros and cons of a situation and having a harmful thought process. The fact is that some of those irrelevant thoughts that enter your mind are actually quite dangerous, and need to be squashed immediately. But there is one thought that is more dangerous than all of those. Can you guess what it is?
“Just this once.”
The phrase “just this once” means you are trying to dodge the consequences of a risky behavior by cutting down on the number of times you perform that behavior. Let’s take a look at some of the situations, shall we?
1.) With drugs and Alcohol. College is a time for experimentation, I’ll admit that. There is definitely a certain amount of drugs and alcohol that are passed around on a frequent basis (depending on the circle of friends you hang out with), but that doesn’t mean you can get stupid. No matter how many times you participate, there are consequences: one positive piss test could mean an expulsion and the loss of your scholarships, suspension for your specific sport if you’re on an athletic team, and let’s not even get into the consequences from your own family. Plus, driving home drunk “just this once” not only endangers you, but anyone else out on the road that you may encounter.
2.) Sexually. Like I mentioned above, college is a time for experimentation, but experimentation shouldn’t mean that safety goes right out the window. Everyone you meet has a different backstory, which means everyone you meet may or may have been exposed to sexually transmitted diseases, so use some form of protection every time. Think about it, it only takes one time to get pregnant or be infected with HIV. Do you really want to risk that for a bit of fun one night?
3.) By cheating. College is stressful, and I can’t count the number of times I’ve been watching a bit of evening television and then suddenly realized that I have a 16 page paper due the next morning. It happens.
However, that doesn’t mean you can cheat. Borrowing your roommate’s paper may sound like a good idea at the time, but professors are wizening up to this sort of thing. Now they just scan your paper and enter it into a database, so even if your roommate wrote that paper for another class, three semesters ago, it still comes up, and then you’ve got some questions to answer.
So just suck it up and do the work. What do you think an all-nighter is, anyway?
4.) With your safety. Trust me, I’ve been there; it’s 1:30 in the morning and you just have to get to your dorm room before morning. It’s only a 12 minute walk, so you should be fine, right? No. Don’t do it. Even if you do have the proper safety equipment (some pepper spray, a personal alarm, the iWitness app on your phone), you are still putting yourself at risk. You’d be surprised how many drunk freshmen end up freezing to death while trying to walk home. If you can’t get a ride just call campus security. Many times they’ll just come pick you up, no problem.
And don’t forget to check out our store (www.secureoncampus.com) for more personal safety essentials!
Anyone got any advice on this subject?
Safety Questions Renters Always Forget to Ask
If you’re looking for a home to rent, chances are you know the general questions. You need to know how much they’re asking for rent, if it’s close to public transportation (but not actually living on top of a subway station), and you’re probably going to inquire about leasing guidelines. However, even after you’ve looked at the place (seen the size of the rooms, etc.), there are a few things you still might overlook. Here are some important questions you’d be sorry not to ask beforehand:
1.) How’s the cell phone signal? Nothing is quite as annoying as trying to carry on a conversation with someone while constantly moving around the house trying to chase a seemingly non-existent signal, even when your cellphone provider boasts supposedly “exceptional” signal strength. You’re going to want to know you can call 9-1-1 from anywhere in your home, including under the kitchen sink…just in case.
2.) How’s that elevator? Don’t be surprised if an apartment eight stories up brags about an elevator and then after you move in you find out it’s only for moving heavy freight. Or maybe it has an elevator, but it’s been out of service for three years. Or maybe it has a working elevator perfectly acceptable for people to use; it just moves at a snail’s pace. You might not think this even qualifies as a safety issue, but the first time you come home on crutches and try to navigate up eight flights of stairs, you’ll think differently about the value of that elevator.
3.) Who handles the maintenance? This includes both interior and exterior maintenance. If you live in a house instead of an apartment, you could be expected to do all of the exterior upkeep (like mowing the lawn and shoveling snow). If you live in an apartment, there may be a few different people that you need to call depending on the circumstances. A doorman may handle your mail, a super may handle basic maintenance issues or emergency issues (you smell gas in your apartment) and your landlord may handles more serious issues with your rental. Make sure you have a list of all the appropriate people you need to call should a problem arise, and don’t forget, if something comes up and you need help now, don’t bother calling your landlord, dial 9-1-1 and explain it later.
4.) What’s the parking situation? Many places offer a free parking space out front or even in a driveway, but if you’re looking to rent in New York the issues of parking is a whole other ballgame altogether. Parking is not only incredibly expensive, but having a set parking space will save you hours of time trying to find one when you arrive home every night. Plus, having to park half a mile away from your front door puts you at risk! If you can get a place that has a garage or a private parking, do it. It means you can walk from your car to your front door in a safe environment.
And don’t forget to check out our online store (www.secureoncampus.com) for any necessary safety equipment you may need, like pepper spray, personal alarms or the iWitness Smartphone Service.
Do you have any safety questions students/renters forget to ask?
College Crime You Need to Look Out For
Regardless of how much you see in the news, college campuses are decently safe places. That doesn’t mean crime doesn’t happen though, and in order to be prepared you need to know what you’re up against.
What’s more, you need to know the more popular offenses that are on the rise. So we’ve made it easy for you!
1.) Property Damage. Most recent data suggests that over 80% of campus crimes involve property of some kind (that includes theft). And as expensive as typical college costs are (tuition, books, dorm room, food, etc.) having to replace a laptop (which also has 36 completed pages of your senior thesis) can really hurt. That’s why it’s important to protect your property. A laptop safe, for example, will ensure that your laptop stays exactly where you left it. Various locks and dorm safes are also great ways to make sure your valuables don’t end up damaged or stolen.
2.) Identity Theft. While theft tends to be most common campus crime, identity theft has been on the rise. And it’s no surprise; after all, colleges typically require quite a bit of personal information for a number of things. Requesting transcripts, signing up for internships, changing your class schedule and signing up for a dorm room often require multiple forms of identification. So while it’s perfectly understandable to have things like your driver’s license, birth certificate and social security card in your dorm room, it would be stupid to leave all those things out in the open! A dorm safe is a perfect tool for storing these items. In addition, various computer securities will keep crooks from looking up all of your information on your computer, like login information and passwords.
3.) Violent crimes. Even though severe violent crimes make up an exceptionally low percentage of overall university crime (usually around 2% of the total crime), the occurrences are on the upswing, which means you should prepare yourself for the worst. A small bottle of pepper spray, for example, is always a great tool to carry. Plus, with advances in technology other forms of protection are coming out on the market. The most recent is the iWitness smartphone service that allows you to take a video of anyone making you nervous. Essentially, it gives you what criminals fear most: a witness.
Another way to protect yourself from violent crimes is to be aware of the situation and know the warning signs. If you’re at a party and someone is drunk and gradually getting more and more escalated, leave the party! If your date is getting pushy about wanting to come inside with you, slam the door in their face! You know what something feels “off”, and trusting that instinct is always your best bet!
You know any ways to fend off these crimes?
Dating in College…Safely
Sure, sure, we’ve probably done an article on this subject before, but there are three facts of life that we just can’t ignore: 1.) You may not have read that first article, 2.) You may not have been dating before and therefore ignored our first article, and 3.) The dating world is constantly changing with new risks to be careful of. Plus, school is coming up just around the corner (yours may have already started, actually), and nothing adds to the excitement of your first day of school like the cute boy/girl across the hall. So here you go, college students of the world, your university dating safety guide:
1.) Be careful how much you share beforehand. Today’s age is the world of social media…and also the world of oversharing. Posting every detail about your date, your intentions, your excitement etc. on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, whatever, is not only dangerous but downright rude! Leave a little mystery about yourself and protect your safety at the same time.
2.) Tell a friend your plans. This is different than posting your plans all over Facebook. Tell your trusty roommate where you planning on going, what time and if there may be more (dinner at The Spicy Dragon at 5:30, The Dark Knight Rises at 7:00, maybe ice cream afterwards, will text after the movie to check in and update schedule). And calm down, you don’t have to do this every time, just until you guys get to know each other. In the beginning though, it’s important. If something goes wrong and you go missing (hey, it could happen), this will make it much easier to trace your footsteps and figure out where you might be.
3.) Go somewhere public. No, you are not going over to his house for dinner on a first date, that’s just asking for trouble. Go out to dinner, or to a ballgame, or a park or something along those lines. In addition, make sure you drive yourself there, meaning you aren’t depending on them for a ride and they aren’t going to know where you live if the date goes bad.
4.) Be careful with alcohol. It’s no secret that alcohol impairs judgment, so keep that in mind before you order your third glass of wine. In addition, make sure you keep an eye on your drink. If your date is someone you’ve just met, you want to make sure there’s no chance that they can slip you something.
5.) Always feel free to say “no”. You are perfectly allowed to say “no” at any time for any reason. You don’t want to have some ice cream after the movie? Then don’t! You don’t have to give a reason, and it doesn’t matter if the other person reallllllly wants you to.
6.) Trust your gut. If you have an uneasy feeling about something, don’t do it! The reason you have a strange feeling is because you’re subconsciously picking up on cues that you haven’t identified yet. If something inside is telling you it’s a bad idea, it’s probably a bad idea.
7.) Carry some form of protection. Whether it’s pepper spray or your iWitness smartphone service, you need to have some form of protecting yourself should you be in a compromised situation.
What are some ways you stay safe on a date in college?
Dorm Safety Essentials
It’s getting to be that time of year: you’ve probably been thinking about what you need to take with you to college, but you’re not going to pack until maybe the day before. You’ll use the excuse “I need to pack” to get out of virtually every uncomfortable situation (dinner with your grandparents), but let’s be honest; your room isn’t any more packed than it was 2 weeks ago.
So before you really get started, let’s go over what you need to bring with you; as far as safety goes. Pack these essentials first then use your spare suitcases to pack everything else.
1.) Locks. Theft is far and above the #1 reported incident on college campuses. Between things in your dorm, things in your car and things in your backpack, you’ve probably got a lot of expensive stuff lying around. And with locks being incredible affordable and practical, there’s really no reason not to own one. We’d recommend putting one on your closet (once you get to know you’re roommie you can remove it, but in the beginning you may wonder where the hell all your clothes have started disappearing too), on your dorm storage trunk (or any dorm trunk, for that matter), on your backpack and on your glove compartment in your car, if you can.
2.) Safes. Just like locks are important, so are safes. If you can’t afford a regular safe for the majority of your stuff (student ID, birth certificate, etc.), at least spring for a laptop safe. Our most basic model holds laptops up to 17 inches, is fire insulated, has double steel walls and can be secured to anything non-mobile with a 48-inch cable. You paid a lot of money for that laptop, don’t let some jackass get it for free.
3.) Fire Extinguishers. It may seem silly (your dorm has one, every building has one), but let’s be realistic. You start a fire in your room (yes, it happens), are you going to have time to pull up the dorm map and figure out where the hell the fire extinguisher is? Probably not. Just go to your room and get the one you brought with you. Better safe than sorry.
4.) Pepper Spray. Pepper spray comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes now, so you don’t have to look like a paranoid freshman with a giant canister of pepper spray attached to their belt loop. And even if you think you’ll never need it (we hope you’ll never need it), it’s better to have it just in case.
5.) Your iWitness App. This isn’t going to take up storage room but it’s just as important. We’d recommend downloading the service long before you get to college so if the time ever comes to use it you won’t be fumbling with your phone.
Anything anyone wants to add?
Introducing the iWitness Self Protection Smartphone Service!
What’s the problem with carrying a weapon, anyone? Let’s go through the pros and cons:
Pros:
- You can use it to protect yourself
Cons:
- You often need a permit to carry one
- If it’s taken from you in a struggle the attacker can use it against you
- It isn’t safe for small children to carry
- You can’t carry it in certain public places, such as on an airplane or in a classroom
- If you panic while in control of it, someone may be hurt unintentionally (such as a bystander)
- You may be seen as a threat (someone shoots you because they notice you’re carrying a knife)
Plus, believe it or not, a weapon is nowhere near the greatest deterrent of crime. Just because you have a gun doesn’t mean you won’t be attacked.
In fact, according to a 2010 study by Valerie Wright, Ph.D. titled Deterrence in Criminal Justice; Evaluating Certainty vs Severity of Punishment, it’s not the severity of punishment that criminals fear, it’s the certainty of punishment. Meaning it doesn’t matter what the punishment is if you get away with it.
So what’s the #1 deterrent? Witnesses. It’s the reason no one is nervous about going to the park in broad daylight and why it’s always recommended to meet a first date in a public place. Not only are people there to see an incident should one take place, but there are cameras as well. But you’re not always able to be in a public place, surrounded by people, in broad daylight. Sometimes you need to get to the library at 10:00 at night to pull an all-nighter. Sometimes you get home late and have to walk the distance from your car to your dorm alone, in the dark. What do you do then?
That’s where the iWitness smartphone service comes in. Plus, it literally solves all of the issues listed above for a method of self-defense. It’s safe to carry in public places, it’s safe for children to use, a criminal can’t turn it against you, no one else will get hurt accidently while you use it and you don’t need a permit to carry your cellphone. So what is it, exactly?
Basically, it’s a smartphone app that sends video and audio recordings of the event to a secured server (meaning if they break your phone the evidence is still safe), while automatically dialing 9-1-1, tracking your location and emitting flashing lights and an audio alarm.
With just a push of a button, you’ve got criminals’ worst fear staring them in the face; the fear that they’ll get caught. Even if they have a weapon, using it will be their downfall, whereas if they have a gun and you have a gun, all they have to do is know how to use theirs better. Arm the app at the first sign of danger and you’ll never be alone again.
And what does this service cost? Only $2.50 a month (or $29.99 a year), which is hardly anything compared to the peace of mind it provides.
Here’s a video to help explain things:
Would any of you get some use out of this service?
