Going back to school is stressful, especially when it’s your first time going to university or college. It’s so easy to get swept up in the excitement of a new school and experience, but the university setting also makes it easy to be lulled into a false sense of security.
For this post, we spoke with ten university students and recent graduates to get the best tips on staying safe on campus.
Date Smart
When you’re away from home and meeting so many new and interesting people, dating is extra exciting. Women aged 18-24 are the most likely to experience intimate partner violence so it’s important to be safe. Dating violence starts out subtle and it can be hard to realise you are being controlled or manipulated or in a situation which could escalate to violence.
Set boundaries and look for red flags like love bombing, asking to go through your phone, isolating you from your friends or family, guilt tripping you or pressuring you to do things you’re not comfortable with. Online dating is accessible and convenient: share your location with your friends if you meet up with anyone you met on a dating app!
Use the Buddy System
Rely on your friends and look out for each other – there is strength in numbers! Walk home together and make sure you always know where each other is when you’re on nights out and always make sure someone knows where you are. Using the find my friends app will help you keep tabs of your friends!
Come up with a hand signal as a subtle way to show your friends you need help or are uncomfortable with a situation while you are at the bar.
In university, friendships feel super strong super quickly. After a couple of weeks, it will feel like you’ve known someone your whole life. Trust your friends, but don’t forget, at first at least, you have just met these people so tread with caution until you really get to know them!
Walk Safely
Know your way around campus and always walk with someone else if you can. If you must walk alone, make sure you are safe. Don’t wear headphones when you walk by yourself and make sure to stick to well lit paths at night. Call a friend or your parents to talk to while you walk alone so someone knows where you are – but make sure not to get too distracted so you are able to stay aware of your surroundings!
Check out the resources your campus has available. Most schools have walk or drive safe programs with volunteers who will make sure you get home, to your car or on the bus safely!
Use Safety Devices
It’s not legal to carry any weapons or sprays in Canada to use for your protection, but it’s okay to carry a whistle or a personal alarm that will alert others you are in danger.
See if your university has a campus safety app and make sure to have it downloaded on to your phone.
Consume Alcohol and Drugs Safely
Going to university or college comes with a whole new level of freedom you may never have had before. Campus drinking culture and going out can be a big part of your school experience so make sure you know how to consume safely.
Try to make a plan with where you are going to be going on a night out and stick with it. Plan the route, which bars you’ll go to, who’s going and who’s driving before you start drinking. If your designated driver isn’t sober by the end of the night, don’t get into the car with them.
You know your limit, so stick to a set number of drinks when you go out.
Trust your gut and be true to you: don’t give in to peer pressure. Despite what the movies and TV shows might make it look like, you don’t have to drink or do drugs in university. It might seem like the cool thing to do, but most of the students we spoke to said they wish they had known they didn’t have to drink. You do you boo!
Be Cautious with Rideshares
Uber and Lyft are awesome resources to make sure you get home safely. Always make sure to confirm the license plate and driver matches the app. Don’t ask them if the ride is for you, ask who the ride is for and wait for them to say your name. When you open the doors to the back seat, it’s a good idea to subtly check the side of the door to confirm child lock is not on. Don’t give the driver too much personal information during the ride!
Lock Your Doors
Keep your doors and windows locked when you’re sleeping or not in your room and don’t let anyone you don’t know into your residence building. It may seem rude not to hold the door open, but if you don’t recognize them, don’t let them in. if they don’t have a key, it’s better to have them wait for their friend to let them in.
It’s Okay to Lie
You can lie about anything to keep yourself safe. If someone is making you uncomfortable, don’t tell the truth – you don’t want them to know too much about you. You never have to tell someone if you’re alone, whether you’re single, why you’re not drinking, what residence you live in, etc. It’s not hurting them to lie it’s only keeping yourself safe.
Stay safe, work hard and have the best time at university. There are so many opportunities to learn and make memories to last a life time, so get out there and enjoy – safely of course!
Thank you to Taylor (Queen’s University), Jessica (Carleton University), Marina (University of Ottawa), Kelsey (Mount Allison University, Dalhousie University), Erika (Mount Allison University, Dalhousie University), Katie (University of Toronto), Hannah (Queen’s University), Sara (Dalhousie University), Caroline (Carleton University) and Emma (Mount Allison University, Algonquin College, Humber College) for contributing your tips!
