Edit: I got some useful ideas, but most of the comments were too general about precautions when living in an urban city, which it’s not applicable to Baltimore in general. Only one commenter really understands the safety issues in Baltimore. I’ll be deleting my post.
In many cities, this happens. I was in Evansville Indiana (just a fraction of the size of Baltimore) last week on their River walk, and this happened several times.
I don’ think this is Baltimore or even big city specific. This will happen in most any urban area.
Kids can be aware of their surroundings, walk during the daytime, walk with others, etc.
But these are just normal big city things - you have folks that may be homeless, on drugs or other things - and fortunately usually nothing happens but you still need to be prepared.
But if your kids are in - really any sizable US city, you’ll need to learn to adapt to this.
You have a point. Do you know Baltimore well?
Do I know it well - ? No.
I’ve been there five or six times, been to a few ball games there.
But what you described is just a description, really, of someone who hasn’t spent time in urban environments in the US, where this is common behavior. You’ll even have some people scream at you - for no reason. You just put your head down and keep going - of course, making sure no one is readying to attack you.
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I live in a very urban city in US. I don’t need judgements from parents. please stop.
We had a home in Baltimore for years and my daughter seriously considered JHU. We’ve spent a fair amount of time in and around campus.
Your student needs to take standard city precautions. Walk with friends, be aware of their surroundings, don’t walk and have your nose in your phone or use headphones, and by all means utilize the JHU safety escort program, especially at night: https://publicsafety.jhu.edu/resources-and-services/services-for-you/safety-escort-program/
It’s the same advice I’d give any student living in a city. (I’m in the Chicagoland area now).
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My kid is not at JHU. Attends a small university there.
Apologies, from your other thread I was under the impression that your child was at JHU. Rest of my advice stands!
And your child should check to see if there is a safety escort program at their school. Most of the city campuses have such a program.
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Not providing judgement - just describing, really any US urban area. Not area of your background.
My 24 year old son moved to Baltimore a few months ago. He spent 4 years at University of Dayton in Dayton OH, moved back home to NC (to a city with half the population of Baltimore) for 18 months after graduation, then moved to Baltimore
My son absolutely loves Baltimore. He bought a rowhouse near JHU Hospital with some colorful unhoused people who frequent the block. He also has JHU med students beside him and across the street from him. He’s getting the full big-city experience
I’ve visited Baltimore many times, and practically monthly since my son moved there. I’m going next week. I enjoy the area very much. On my last visit, a woman walking her three tiny dogs stopped me on the street to talk to me and my daughter. She said she’d moved from Denver to Baltimore and said Baltimore is now her favorite city.
In addition to my son, I have two daughters, 18 and 20. I understand the anxiety you might feel about your daughter being a student in any urban environment. My advice is, as long as your daughter is not an environment-blind person, she should do just fine in Baltimore.
FWIW, I don’t think Baltimore is any more of less troublesome than any other densely populated city. I also think the benefits of living in a densely populated area are worth some parental anxiety.
Let your daughter be your guide. Until your daughter mentions being concerned, I’d be content to wait and see how she handles it.
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I live about 30 minutes south of Baltimore, but am very familiar with the area where you were as my kids and I did volunteer/service work in that neighborhood for several years. In fact, my coworker lives on N. Calvert Street about five blocks south from the Safeway. Like any urban area, there are going to be homeless people with mental illness who behave in the manner you describe.
Like others have already pointed out, it is not unusual to encounter something like this in any metropolitan area. I went to college in the South Bronx (straight from suburban MD). Having “street smarts” is important. My youngest goes to college in Chicago and she deals with people like this in the neighborhood where she lives as well as on public transportation.
@momofboiler1 's advice is spot on.
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No worries. I stayed in a neighborhood close to JHS maybe that’s why it got confusing.
That’s a good idea. I"ll ask my kid to check the safety escort program.
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I agree with others that in Baltimore you have to keep your eyes up and walk with purpose, but I also want to commend you for thinking to go toward the workers and scare off the guy. That’s smart city walking.
Just to the north of JHU (Main campus) is one of the nicest neighborhoods in Baltimore. People want to live in that area. South of the campus, where you were, is where the neighborhoods become more downtown-ish, and I wouldn’t walk after dark (but did take the bus through them). I worked downtown years ago, and I was working late many nights. We’d often go move our cars at about 6:30 when it was legal to park on the street because where we parked was fine in the day and not so great at night. Our building was 2 blocks from The Block, strip clubs and bars. It was probably safe at night since it was very lit with neon lights but I wouldn’t chance it..
There are work arounds. Ask your daughter what precautions her school advised her about, like walking in groups, taking certain streets at night, knowing where to get help (the blue lights, a store or building on campus.
I went to school in Boulder and lived in a very nice area. It was dark at night. It was scary. We always walked, even just the 2 blocks to the Hill, in groups or at least pairs. JonBenet Ramsey’s house was just a block away (as I said NICE houses), and we had an alley in common. Everyone needs to be careful.
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That’s so nice that your son is enjoying living in Baltimore. Wow, you must live close to Baltimore to do monthly trips there. That’s great!
I don’t think it’s much about the Urban environment. For example, I feel very comfortable with my kid in NYC day or any hour at night. There is always people walking around and many places open. Of course, NYC has questionable areas too, but the vibe is different from Baltimore.
Based on my experience, Baltimore is different from other densely populated cities.
I have no other options that to let my kid navigate the environment. Thank you for your comment.
I’m pretty familiar with homeless as where I live there is a big homeless population. In some areas of the city, It’s pretty common to see people on drugs so I’m familiar about how they behave and how they look like. Many homeless people are on drugs in this city where I live.
My incident was not a homeless person and the man didn’t seem to be on drugs. I took a very good look at him. He was so close to me that I could have smelled something if he smoking something.
Chicago is a more developed and has way more economic activity than Baltimore. The environment is different.
My kid is pretty familiar with big urban cities. Our city is pretty urban, big, with a huge gap between the have and have nots, and a big homeless population too.
towinanddone, This is very helpful. You really understand my concern.
My kid is in grad school and no much info about safety during orientation week. I was surprised about that. Maybe because they are grad students?
Anyhow, my kid lives close to the school and it’s a pretty much a residential area. It seems nice, safe and quiet. I didn’t notice anyone just being sitting outside of the apartments as in the neighborhood I was staying at.
The school keeps good lighting and security people on campus. There are not much retail, restaurants around school.
This is a good tip to have a strategy and where to get help if ever needed.
Thank you for your comment!
That’s an oversimplification of any urban city. Big urban cities have a lot of nuances based on economic activity, industries, demographics, etc., for example Baltimore vs NYC not the same at all by a big margin!
I have friends and relatives who have moved to Baltimore. Most cities have “good” and “bad” neighborhoods, but my sense - having spent time with them - is that in Baltimore, these can change very quickly. By the block, even. Many decades ago, much of NYC was like this too. For someone not familiar with the lay of the land, it was pretty easy to suddenly find oneself in a place that felt really off.
Sounds like you have gotten good advice for your D. I hope you are feeling less worried.
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I think the biggest difference for Baltimore is that neighborhoods can change quickly. A couple of blocks in the “wrong” direction can get unsafe quickly. Your child just needs to have a good awareness and know what areas to avoid and use good street smarts.
I will honestly say that I loved my time in Baltimore. Loved the history, loved the food/restaurant scene, arts, cultures, sports, etc… IMO it’s a very underrated city.
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Every city is different, but no matter if you are in NYC, Seattle, Denver, or smaller Evansville, as I just was, you have many cases of the same type of situation you described. Some cities have better lighting (Charleston where mine went to school in the downtown) or more people around and it depends, of course, where you are in the city, but you need to utilize safe strategies no matter where you are. And that was my point.
Anyway, I wish you and your student luck.