How You Can Stay Safe as a College Student
College life should be a time of joy, learning, and growth. Going to college can be both an exciting and intimidating time.
It can be hard to feel safe when attending college.
Being aware of the environment around you and staying vigilant is necessary to stay safe, especially in the wake of events such as the Idaho College Murders.
The Idaho College Murders shocked and saddened college campuses across the country.
To ensure the safety of college students across the country, it’s essential to understand what happened and how similar events can potentially be prevented.
As college students, we should always be cognizant of the importance of staying safe.
With the news of the Idaho college murders fresh in everyone’s mind, it’s a stark reminder of how important it is for college students to stay vigilant and aware of their surroundings.
The horrific university murders are an important reminder of how social media and technology can play a role in a college student’s safety.
There are many steps that can be taken in order to help ensure our safety on campus throughout our college experience.
Here are some tips for staying safe as a college student.
To stay safe in college and beyond, social media can be both a useful tool and an extreme security risk depending on how it is used.
Be mindful about what you post, and who you connect with, and make sure your social circle is made up of people you know personally.
It’s best to not have a photo of you as your profile pic. Remember, your profile pic does not have to be public. You can change those settings.
Further, do not include other people in your profile pic such as friends, siblings, or even children.
This is critical because profiles and social media can be screenshotted.
You don’t know who is looking at your public social media information and accruing a story of your data.
It’s important for college students to stay socially savvy – such as limiting what you post, and who you interact with online, and taking extra caution when answering unknown or suspicious calls/texts.
One key step college students can take to monitor their environment is checking social media regularly as well as news outlets for reports of any suspicious activity. This especially applies when out socializing with friends late at night or going home alone.
As social media is becoming both an integral part of our lives and a source of danger, be sure your social media accounts are locked down with privacy settings as much as possible and limit sharing sensitive personal information online.
Social media can be an effective tool for spreading information that increases awareness about campus safety issues and being aware of your surroundings.
It is thus important for students to stay aware of social media postings and other news about any potential risks or dangers.
Staying informed and becoming aware of social media trends can help keep yourself and others safe when attending a university or other higher learning institution.
Don’t post your class schedule or any personal information and restrict the amount of information about you that the public can access.
Make sure to always double-check social media contacts before engaging in conversation, even if it seems like you already know them.
Be sure to let friends or family know where you’re going if you are planning on going somewhere alone, no matter how short the duration, and check in with them once you’ve returned safely.
College students need to stay aware of their surroundings – especially when alone and in unfamiliar areas.
It’s best practice to save contexts connected to these situations so that if something does happen, there is a record of who you are with and where you were.
It’s also helpful to create safety plans for unexpected events like carrying a whistle or pepper spray in case of a threatening situation or contacting someone from your support system if needed.
Additionally, there are various apps that put safety first to help keep students secure while on campus; research which app is most applicable for your school environment.
It’s also important to always pay attention to your own security when you are out alone; download a safety app on your phone that will allow you to easily reach out for help if needed.
If something makes you feel uncomfortable or out of the ordinary – trust your gut instinct and contact the appropriate authorities immediately.
Communication is key when it comes to staying safe, so take precautions now in order to avoid potential harm later.
Better communication among peers is essential in staying safe too – whether it’s offering to walk with a friend at night or sharing safety tips across social circles.
It’s critical to make sure you know each person you let into your circle. Do not add a friend-of-a-friend unless you truly know them.
Be cautious about sharing too much information.
Today, you need to assume you have 1+ stalker(s) and they are accumulating your personal information to construct their own profile of you to haunt you.
You can never be too cautious! Truly!
Lastly, don’t forget to use social media privacy settings; review them often and make sure they are updated.
These simple steps are an easy way for every college student to help protect their safety while attending classes.
We truly want everyone, especially young naive adults to be safe and stay safe.