NextPath

In the wake of the tragedy at Virginia Tech last year, colleges across the country have been updating their emergency response tactics and putting stricter security measures into place.

College campuses, in general, tend to take greater safety precautions than the world at large, with a high per-capita concentration of security and overall surveillance. But no security system is perfect, and no campus will ever be 100-percent safe. You don’t want to be overly paranoid, and you should feel comfortable on campus, but at the same time, it’s only smart to stay aware of the potential risks and be proactive about avoiding dangerous or needlessly risky situations.

Take Precautions and Protect Yourself

8 Basic Safety Tips

Be smart about your behavior on campus, and take some basic common-sense precautions to minimize your risk:

1. Whether driving or walking, use well-trafficked routes and avoid dark shortcuts at night.

2. Never walk alone at night — this goes for both girls and guys. Walk with a friend or roommate to and from your destination, or if everyone you know is in bed, call your 24-hour campus security for an escort.

3. Program emergency numbers into your cell phone for one-touch dialing.

4. Make mental notes of the emergency phones or stations around campus.

5. Blasting your iPod may give you that adrenaline rush while you’re running, but it also makes you oblivious to the sound of anyone coming up behind you. Avoid listening to loud music through sound-blocking earbuds when you’re walking or running alone at night or early in the morning.

6. Make sure at least one other person — a roommate, friend, or family member — knows your daily schedule.

7. Check your school’s website daily for security updates.

In the Dorms

• Never share your personal access information, even with close friends or roommates.

• Report stolen or lost keys and access cards as soon as possible.

• Never let anyone you don’t know piggyback on your access or sneak in to your building behind you. If you see it happen, alert your R.A. or campus security.

Living Off-Campus

• Get security screen doors when possible.

• Secure any backyard or side gates with proper locks.

• Lock your doors behind you every time you leave or enter your apartment.

• Make sure all your windows and sliding doors stay locked. If you have a sliding door and you live on the first floor, invest in a sliding door security bar.

• Never open the door without checking through the peephole. If you don’t have a peephole, ask your landlord to install one.

• Avoid giving extra keys to friends or significant others; you never know what may happen with those relationships over the course of a school year.

With Your Vehicle

• Park in well-lit and high-traffic areas as often as possible.

• From a distance, as you’re walking to your car, look underneath it and make sure there’s no one hiding.

• Check your backseat and the floors before you get in.

• If you don’t already have a remote, get one. If someone’s following you, and you need to get away fast, you don’t want to have to fumble with getting a key into a lock.

• Avoid keeping valuables in your car. Even backpacks, CDs, cell phones, and fancy calculators can be a magnet for thieves.

• Install a simple blinking light in your car that makes it look like you have a security system; it’s less expensive than an actual security system, and it may mean the difference between a burglar smashing your window or the window of the car next to you.

• While you’re driving, if you think someone’s following you, don’t drive home. Drive to the nearest police station instead; if you don’t know where a police station is, go someplace busy and well-lit — a 24-hour gas station, an IHOP, a Walgreens — where you can be around people until the cops can get there.

Know What You’re Dealing With

Start by researching your school’s crime statistics so you can help protect yourself against them. Security on Campus compiles crime stats for both on- and off-campus offenses at more than 6,000 colleges and universities; you can search the online database by school name.

If there’s an emergency situation at your school, you’ll also want to be prepared for how school officials might let you know and the measures they have in place to help keep you safe. Go to your school’s website, or call the campus security office and find out which of these systems, if any, your school is using:

• Emergency alert system that distributes notifications to students and faculty via text message, e-mail, and voicemail during emergency situations. These messages are meant to give a brief description of the situation and simple instructions on where to go and what to do to stay safe.

• Emergency management website that posts everything from security alerts and evacuation plans to security policies and safety tips for students. For an example, check out the Berkeley College Emergency Management Master Plan site.

• 360-degree security cameras in lecture halls, classrooms, hallways, and throughout campus buildings. In the case of a hostage situation, security officials may be able to use these cameras to help devise escape routes or rescue plans.

• “True voice” public address system that can be heard clearly even from a distance. Older PA systems can distort sound and be hard, if not impossible, to understand when you’re too far away.

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