Campus Safety: Be Smart, Be Safe

It's a grim fact, but street crime has become more and more common on college campuses. Certain crimes have become specific to the college setting. From your freshmen semester to the day when you receive your diploma, you need to be careful about protecting yourself and your possessions.

"It's the First Day of School!"
And here's your first lesson: When moving onto campus, new students have a tendency to park close to their dormitory and then leave their car doors and trunks unlocked or even wide open as they unload. That's how many thefts occur. So lock your car up, even if you're only going to be away from the vehicle for a moment.

Once you're settled in to your dorm, it's a good idea to locate campus emergency telephones both in your dorm and on the street. You never know when you may need to use one.

Here are some tips about dormitory life:

• Never leave your dorm room unlocked, even if you're only going away for a short time.
• Lock the door and all windows when leaving your room.
• On the way out of the main entry, make sure the door closes all the way, to be sure the security lock system functions properly. Outsiders are always trying to get in.
• Once outside, be aware of strangers hanging around. They may try to get inside the building. Even worse, they may be waiting for someone to stalk -- like you.

College students are attractive prey. Be careful of anyone who approaches and asks for information or to use your cell phone. Those are common tactics of campus predators.

Getting About
Some students are fortunate to have cars. Most others need to get around on foot. If you're walking, use caution when venturing out after dark. College towns are full of quaint streets and gorgeous tree malls, but those can be dark and lonely areas at night. Always remain alert. Focus on your surroundings. When possible, stick to the well-lit and well-traveled areas. If you proceed into an unlighted area, stay away from bushes and trees and dark houses. That's where people can hide.

Whenever possible, travel with another person or, better yet, in a group. If you're out with a friend, stay close to each other.

When using your car, check around the vehicle before you get in. People sometimes hide between parked vehicles and even underneath cars. When you reach your destination, be sure to lock all car doors. Don't leave any valuables out in the open. Stash valuables beneath the seats or in the trunk.

Street Smarts
Many campus tips are common sense. Still, they need mentioning:

• Don't carry large sums of money.
• Avoid wearing items like expensive jewelry and clothing.
• Never give personal items such as room and car keys, meal cards, and student ID cards to anyone, even a friend

Follow Your Gut
Often you'll just need to listen to your intuition and trust your instincts. Conventional wisdom says that if you're anywhere on campus and you sense something is wrong, then most likely there is something wrong. Quickly remove yourself from the area. Contact campus security.

If you feel you're being followed, go to the closest occupied building and ask for help. If you find yourself in immediate danger, shout "fire!" or "police."