Hello all,
My daughter is searching for a college for her higher studies and she is interested in applying for York University Toronto. I am okay with it, but it is far from our home and I am worried about her safety. She told me that she’ll travel alone. I know that she’s bold and courage, but she’s still a small kid to me. So I was checking for some solutions and found checkmate app ( http://www.proteleccheckmate.com/products/checkmate-campus/ ) that can help her during critical situations. I am not sure about the timings in that college and a girl travelling alone in such far distance is not that safe. Even if she has safety apps in her mobile, I am still worried about her.
Do you have any better safety solutions??
Because the age of majority in Ontario is 19, you might need to use a Guardianship service for her to attend.
http://www.isguardianshipcanada.com/
It takes a little while to get used to your child traveling alone, but after the first time you get used to it. My less than 5’ D1 had to travel to a much less safe city than Toronto. By the second trip she was a pro. I will share that we got a frantic phone call on a Sunday morning how my daughter was waiting on a train platform and freezing and the train wasn’t coming (it doesn’t run on Sunday). We had to describe the process of how to hail a cab. I started google mapping for a hotel for her to walk to but by the time I got back to her she was in the cab. They figure it out.
I think you will have the same concerns no matter where she attends. I would recommend some self defence classes , e.g. Krav Maga, pepper spray, etc. if she is walking alone at night. Is your concern on campus or just getting there from your home? York has cab and supershuttle access from the airport (and a very slow bus with transfers) and a subway line stop will open in 2018 if she arrives by train.
I’m not saying one should not take self defense courses if one is so inclined. Let me say that it’s not the first thing I think of when equipping my daughters on their way off to college.
I’d be much more concerned about the safety of a school’s campus & environs (where she’ll spend most of her time), than in the travel between home and school (infrequent events).
I’m not much worried about the campus. I hope that she’ll be safe in campus. I’m worried about travelling home alone especially during late evenings and night. She’ll always have a pepper spray in her bag. But still this is the first time she’s going to study so far and alone. I’ll feel better if any of her friends are going along with her. But unfortunately she’s all alone. Guardianship service seems to be a great idea… I’ll think about it. Thank you for all your suggestions.
If you are worried about her living off-campus, you should speak with the university public safety department about late night rides and buses, or walk-alongs with other students. Most universities have some additional safety measures for late night.
Many colleges have certain dorms or complexes that are just for freshmen. They might have classes together or activities together and travel in groups to the library or night activities. My daughter lived with 3 teammates and they all had early practice together. She had to study in the library at night, so walked back to the freshman village with other athletes.
Other daughter lived in a dorm that was really right in the thick of the campus. If she went to a sorority function, the rule was that at least two students walked together, usually 3-4. Many campuses also have courtesy carts (golf carts, cars) or chaperones to drive students home and only takes a phone call.
@ClassicRockerDad @BettyLat The age of majority in Ontario and all of Canada is 18, not 19. ClassicRockerDad is probably thinking of the legal drinking age.
On my campus in Vancouver, students can call a program called Safewalk (run through the students union and campus security). 2 volunteer students will walk you anywhere on campus or near campus, 24/7, for free. Not sure if York has a similar program, but I think it’s at at least a few other urban schools in Canada. I’ve used it before, late at night to walk back to my car 6 blocks off campus.
My DD went to college 3000 miles away from home. We live in a rural area…in the woods. Her college was in a major metro area. The college did safety presentations as part of student orientation. We did talk to DD about not really going into the city alone after dark. But that was never even an issue. She was always with friends.
Our kid did not carry pepper spray.
UT-Austin has a SURE walk program. Matthew McConaughey recently volunteered to drive kids around one night!
https://news.utexas.edu/2016/11/29/mcconaughey-surprises-students-with-sure-walk-home
York University is in a suburban area of Toronto but it is not considered a safe neighborhood by Canadian standards. By American standards it is safe.
@Bouders, come to think of it maybe I’m confused because my D1 was 17 for a few months when she started college and I looked into this when she was considering Toronto. Seems so long ago.