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!
3 Ways to Protect Your Home from Theft
Did you know roughly 1.6 million residential burglaries occur in the US every year? Of course we’re not saying that to scare you, we’re telling you that so you’ll be aware of the risks. Home theft does happen, and even if you always hope it doesn’t happen to you, the truth it is at some point in time someone will most likely look at your home as a potential target. In those cases, here the top three ways of protecting yourself and your belongings from outside intruders:
1.) Give a “lived in” feel. A “lived in” feel means it looks like someone is home at all times. Things like keeping the mail from building up on the front porch or having your neighbor park their car in your driveway when you’re gone for the weekend give the impression that someone is home. And for longer periods of time, making sure your yard is maintained and is also a simple tip to make it look like your home isn’t completely abandoned.
Another great tactic is to use light to your advantage. Motion lights outside your home are an easy way to spook anyone that might be scoping your place out. Even if you aren’t home, it still shines some light on them for other people in the area to see. In addition, set your lights and television to times that come on and off at various times. A potential burglar is much more likely to go for the dark and quite home at 9:00 at night rather than the one with lights and an active television.
2.) Protect your valuables. Leaving your laptop on the dining room table right next the front window can often be just asking for trouble. Instead, make your home appear less tempting. Purchase an entertainment cabinet with doors that close over your television when you’re done watching it and have your valuables in a well-hidden area that isn’t the cookie jar, under your mattress or the freezer. A great trick is to have an empty safe in plain view while you keep your valuables in a much more hidden safe. Thieves tend to take the safe and run, thinking they’ve already hit the jackpot, when really they’ve only gotten away with a free safe.
3.) Get to know your neighbors. By having a good relationship with the people around you, they will better be able to tell when someone isn’t right at your home. The better they know you, the better they know the people around you. They know what your friends and family all drive and they know when a strange car is lurking around your place. It can be very comforting knowing someone is looking out for your home when you have to leave town for a few days.
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!
Improve the Air Quality in Your Home
For some reason, people tend to completely underestimate the air quality in their home, but believe it or not, allergens and irritants can stay in your home for years, creating not only a stuffy and uncomfortable environment, but a downright unsafe one as well. Think about it; if you suffer from asthma or allergies, the air quality inside your home can ultimately determine your happiness in life! So how do you keep things cleared up?
1.) Suck it up. Just sweeping isn’t going to help. If anything, it tends to kick up anything that has settled on the floor back into the air again. Instead, vacuum your home as often as possible, even if you have hardwood floors. Dust, danger and other things tend to settle in the cracks and corners, so go around the edges of your floors with a vacuum before breaking out the broom. And don’t forget about drapes, furniture, and even ledges around your walls.
2.) Invest in a purifier. An air purifier can be your saving grace during the allergy months. All that coughing can be alleviated by keeping your air circulated and purified on a regular basis. Just make sure to purchase an air purifier that is relatively quiet; otherwise, you’ll be trading itchy eyes for a serious lack of sleep.
3.) Keep it out in the first place. One of the easiest ways to keep your place free of chemicals is to put down a floormat and take your shoes off at the door. We can’t even describe the cocktail of pesticides, dirt and other pollutants that are sticking to the bottom of your shoes, so why would you even bring them into your house in the first place? Putting a welcome mat outside your door will help you eliminate some of the damaging pollutants; avoiding wearing your shoes inside the house will go even further.
4.) Use common sense. That means no smoking in your home, putting away food as soon as possible and avoiding spraying things like hairspray in such closed spaces. Not everything that hurts your air quality comes from outside; a lot of it comes from inside your home. Be one step ahead of the game by making sure you aren’t polluting your home from the inside.
5.) Invest in a dehumidifier. Especially if you live in a high humidity area (we’re looking at you, anyone in the southern part of the country) high humidity can be a major contributing factor to decreased air quality. To avoid mold and that musty smell, you’ll want to keep your humidity below 50%.
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!
Should Guns be Allowed On Campus?
Hey Tumblr world, we’d like to know your opinion on this!
This is a great article talking about gun rights on campus. Meanwhile though, we’d love to get your guys’ opinions on the matter: should people be allowed to carry guns on campus? We’ve got a few pros:
Pros:
- In a situation like Virginia Tech or the movie theater shooting in Aurora, people innocent, sane people would also have a weapon to turn to in order to protect themselves and take down the crazy person with a gun.
- As the article mentions, there’s a difference between feeling safe and being safe. Many feel that if people were allowed to carry guns the environment would be safer overall.
Cons:
- College freshmen are the same age as high school seniors. Would you feel comfortable giving someone with the maturity level of a high school senior access to their own gun?
- There is a lot of drinking and drug use that typically happens on college campuses. We’re not saying everyone does it, but we’re definitely saying it happens more than it should. We don’t know about you but we don’t quite feel comfortable with a dorm party going on across the hall where alcohol and guns are both in the same room.
- Suicides are rampant during college years. Many students feel completely lost during this time in their life. Combine that with the feeling of failing a class and breaking up with your high school sweetheart, then throw a gun in the mix; would the suicide rate increase with better access to more lethal tools?
Of course these are just a few things we thought of off the top of our heads, so we’re looking for input! What do you guys think? Reply with your opinion, or if it’s too long for the answer box shoot us a message.
So go for it: do you think concealed guns should be allowed on campus?
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?
A Stranger is in My Dorm, What Do I Do?
This is technically called a home invasion, but let’s be honest, no one ever calls it that in college. I can actually remember quite a few stories from friends of mine where they were awakened in the middle of the night to find a stranger in their dorm. And to tell you the truth, it really is an honest mistake most of the time. Think about it; you pull 4 all-nighters in a row, arrive at your dorm, walk up to the 3rd floor and find your dorm room is already open so no need to use the key. You walk in and fall asleep on your bed. Except in a few minutes someone wakes you up to tell you you’re in the wrong room. You’re not on the 3rd floor you’re on the 4th floor…see how easy that is?
And let’s not forget the countless times a group of friends drops their drunk buddy off at the main floor. Hey, as long as he’s in the building he’s not their problem anymore (or so they say). A drunk college kid trying to find the accurate dorm room in a sea of hundreds is going to yield some misses.
So I’m going to say something that may seem a bit strange: you need to almost expect a few interesting visitors throughout your semester, and the steps for scoping one out are a bit different than if you live off-campus.
1.) Don’t investigate. I’ll admit, in my home off campus if I heard something go bump in the night there’s no way I’d take it lightly, but in my dorm room I’ll investigate close to any random sound. I always figure it’s a roommate in the kitchen making a midnight snack or something. But if you have it on good authority that there’s a stranger in your dorm (your roommates are all gone for the weekend), don’t go wandering out to confront anyone.
2.) Get out. If you have a clear shot at the door, get the hell out. If you can alert your roomies then great, but you don’t have to go through your whole place right now. Step 3 is coming up.
3.) Call the front desk. Not campus security and not 9-1-1…not yet, anyway. The front desk guy only has to walk up a couple flights of stairs to get to your room, so the effect is immediate. Plus, if you do have someone that is in the wrong room by accident, the front desk clerk can take care of everything right away. If things are iffy, they will decide to call campus police. Of course if you call the front desk and no one answers, call campus police. If it’s a serious emergency, like you know the intruders have a gun, call 9-1-1.
4.) Use your wits. If you don’t have a personal alarm near you (which you really should in college), use your keychain. Most car alarms can reach a lot farther than you think, and pressing the panic button on your keychain will signal your car alarm. Besides just scaring the intruders away, someone is going to investigate who’s car it is and someone will be knocking on your door shortly to tell you to turn it the hell off.
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!
It’s Still an Illegal Drug
By the time you hit college, the phrase “Say no to drugs” has surely been ingrained into your mind. However, things are also a bit different in college. Of course you know what to say no to (you know, your general meth, crack, inhalants, etc.), but there’s a whole different breed of drugs that you might be considering. After all, they’re supposed to be good for you, right?
Wrong. The following are still drugs, and if they aren’t prescribed to you (and even if they are prescribed to you), taking them incorrectly can have disastrous consequences.
1.) Ritalin. It’s been around for several years, but the adverse effects of it have been fairly swept under the rug. The drug affects chemical secretion in the brain as well as specific nerves that affect impulse control and hyperactivity. But you probably already knew that…I mean it is prescribed to help with ADHD. But you should know that those nerves can be permanently damaged, especially when combined with caffeine or alcohol.
2.) Adderall. Also prescribed for people with ADHD, Adderall kicks things up a notch. It’s a sister drug of speed, and is also prescribed to people with Narcolepsy. Adderall, however, is much more dangerous. It can be easily abused and is quite addictive, with withdrawal side effects including depression, aggressive behavior, mania, and even psychosis, heart attack and death. So no, it’s not worth it to pass a final exam.
No sharing. You’d think that borrowing your roommate’s prescription might be harmless, but there are much bigger risks than you might realize. For example, I found out I have a heart condition my sophomore year of college. Had I tried taking Adderall or Ritalin during my freshman year, the results could have been catastrophic. Of course if I had gotten a prescription myself, my heart condition would’ve been taken into account. At the least, the dosage at least would’ve been adjusted.
And let’s not forget, that sharing prescription drugs is illegal; both for you to take and for your roommate to share with you (or sell, as is more likely the case).
Keep in mind that both of these drugs are not meant to increase one’s intelligence. All they do is delay the onset of sleep, allowing someone to stay up for hours on end cramming for exams and writing research papers. Of course, along with the side effects of the drugs themselves, are also the side effects of sleep deprivation, including increased anxiety and the inability to focus (the very problems the drug is supposed to fix). In fact, in terms of reaction time and decision making skills, a sleepless person can be compared to an individual who has an alcohol consumption above the legal limit.
So just don’t. Please get some sleep and develop some time management skills before turning to either one of these drugs for help.
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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Our Thoughts Are With You!
If you’re stuck in the mess of Hurricane Sandy (we’ve been hit ourselves), we’re wishing you a speedy recovery back to normalcy!
How is everyone else doing today?
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?
Safety Items to Keep in Your Purse/Backpack
Now there are countless safety items that you should take with you to college. Fire extinguishers, for example, are not very expensive and are invaluable in a tight spot, but I doubt you’ll be carrying one around in your backpack all day. The same goes for your laptop safe or even a bunch of padlocks. Even if you think it’s a good idea to lock up your backpack (it is) I guarantee you’re going to choose practicality over safety in the end. And the number of times per hour combined with the exhausting weight of textbooks, you’re not going to carry anything more than you have to.
Besides the following items, that is. They weigh next to nothing and they just might save your life, so read on and stock up.
1.) Pepper spray. What, you’re a big strong man that doesn’t believe in carrying pepper spray? You’re an independent woman that has taken her fair share of self-defense classes and can take care of herself? Riiiiiight. Don’t want your friends making fun of you? Completely understandable, but still not a valid excuse. We’ve got pepper spray disguised as a black pen, perfume, lipstick and even as a tiny keychain. The fact is it’s super light, and you’ll (hopefully) never have to use it. But at least it’s there clipped on the side of your backpack or sitting at the bottom of your purse if you should ever need it.
2.) An alarm. A personal alarm costs next to nothing, and it creates a shrieking sound that will bring help immediately. In fact, alarms have been found to be almost more efficient than yelling help; people might not always come to the sound of someone yelling, but they will absolutely do something about an insanely annoying sound coming right outside their window. Put an alarm on your keychain and you’ll instantly have a way of drawing attention to yourself in a scary situation.
3.) A witness. What do you think is the greatest deterrent for a criminal? You might think it’s the punishment itself, but you’d be wrong. According to the most recent and valid research we could find, it’s not the severity of the punishment that criminals fear, it’s the certainty of punishment. That’s why most crimes happen in the absence of witnesses; no one wants to get caught. Enter the iWitness Smartphone Service. Not only can you film the offense taking place, but your phone also automatically calls 9-1-1 and tracks your location. Make sure you’re never alone again.
These things cost pennies on the dollar but they are incredibly helpful in keeping you safe, so what are you waiting for?!
Think it’s just a pen? Think again!
It’s pepper spray! Yeah it might look innocent, but trust us, it’ll do the damage you need done. It comes in Pink and in Black!
What do you guys think?
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?
What to Do If Someone Starts Following You
Every once in a while you’ve got to walk somewhere alone through generally considered “unsafe” territory. Maybe it’s on your way home late from a library cram session and the shuttles have stopped running, you can’t get ahold of your roommate and you have no vehicle of your own. Yup, you’re probably going to make the sketchy walk from the library to your dorm. We get it; we’ve been there.
So what happens if you’re being followed? Well hopefully you have the new iWitness phone app, for one, but if you don’t here are some basic tips to keeping yourself safe with a stranger on your trail:
1.) Stay calm. Panicking is only going to cloud your thoughts. Besides, how do you know they just don’t happen to be walking to a similar area as you are? Slow your breathing and try to clear your head.
2.) Find other people. Do you see any businesses nearby with people in them (a bar, a coffee shop, or even a warehouse with night shift workers)? Do you know of a friend that lives nearby or a party that might be going on just a block down the street? If so, you might want to take a quick detour, at least for a few minutes.
3.) Don’t stop. If you think you’re being followed, the worst thing you can do is stop and let them catch up. Keep walking at a brisk pace until you get more details about the situation.
4.) Have your cell phone ready. Arm your iWitness app, call a cab or anyone that can come help you. Just be sure you keep moving.
5.) Run. Just have an idea of where you are running to. Running straight into a dark, dead end alley isn’t going to help your cause at all. On the other hand, if you see a spot a block away with people, run there, don’t walk. Your follower may see the people too and understand the time they have to make a move are limited.
6.) Yell. No criminal prefers to attack a screaming victim; it draws more attention to the scene. And don’t let the fear of embarrassment stop you; would you rather be an idiot or a dead idiot?
7.) Get as many details as possible. Don’t stop to turn around and see your follower, but if it’s possible to get some details make a mental note of it. Is it a male or female? How tall do they seem to be? Are they following you on foot or in a car? If it’s in a car, can you get a license plate number?
8.) Look for a weapon. This is listed last for a reason; weapons are only useful if you know how to use them and if they won’t be taken away from you and used against you. A metal pipe might only be handy for a second, so you’d better be ready to get your blows in. Just make sure you’re not stopping to look around for something. Just grab it and go.
For safety devices, like pepper spray, alarms, or the iWitness Smartphone Service, don’t forget to check out www.secureoncampus.com
Have you ever been followed?
