thumper1 — I’m 18. If I was 30, I’d probably be doing something commuting-based, as I really dislike dorms (as I’m sure you have noticed).
A whistle is a good option. I have a survival whistle that came with a first aid kit I got awhile back. I’m sure that’d work well. I appreciate the recommendation.
Sidebar/flashback: I went to college with Anthony Bourdain. Tony wasn’t there all that long (2 years, I think…) but what I remember is his walking around with nunchucks.
jym626 — lmao that’s some story
It was decades ago and that’s what I remember. So my recommendation- don’t do that (unless you think it might make you a famous chef…)
Yeah, that makes sense. Open-carrying weapons is not a good way to make friends, nor will it earn you a good reputation with campus security!
Campuses tend to be some of the safest places. There is typically police protection from the town, plus campus police. There are blue lights, most of them now have camera attachments. Escort services if you don’t have someone to walk home with. Self defense classes offered on campus. So many ways to keep safe. Common sense goes a long way in terms of personal safety too. Don’t walk alone. Be aware of your surroundings. Don’t have your nose in your phone when you are walking. Keep your door lock.
I really think you are worrying prematurely. Wait to see where you are going. If you aren’t comfortable in a city, go to one of your rural options.
momofsenior1 — I appreciate your common sense and wise words! I am a bit of a worrywart, I’m afraid, but I think your suggestions help me immensely. I will do my best to live responsibly on-campus.
Most traditional-age college students commute to a local college from where they lived before college (their parents’ place). So wouldn’t that be an option for you?
Also, at many more residential colleges, many students live nearby off campus.
Regarding self-defense, colleges may have courses on that based on unarmed martial arts.
Yes, I have been accepted to the closes university to my current location. My parents are very accommodating on this note. Unfortunately, colleges near me have very strict proximity limits, and they are not very good colleges to begin with, so it would be difficult to commute. I plan on potentially living off-campus as an Upperclassman, but I have seen very few colleges offer off-campus living arrangements for Freshmen.
You might feel much better if you look up the Clery report each college makes. Under this law, colleges report crimes on or near campus. Perhaps it will help you judge the relative safety of various campuses and make decisions from there.
roycroftmom. – That is quite the useful tip! I appreciate it. I will research the safety of my college options precisely to the effect of better preparing myself and more realistically gauging my safety.
@VinceLestrade saw your other thread where you wrote: " Is it normal for people to be in states of undress to and from the dorm bathrooms? If so, how can I avoid this at all costs?"
Think of it as a plus. Makes it difficult for the unclothed to carry concealed weapons.
Most every college campus has the “Blue Light System”, you can request escort late at night, have Safe Apps that you open when walking home with panic buttons you can hit that alert campus police to your location
@tdy123 — lol, you can always look on the bright side, I suppose. I don’t really have concerns about safety within the dorm, to begin with, though.
@UGG2023 — Yeah, definitely, whilst on campus, campus security is a great resource. I didn’t know about an app, and I definitely think that’s a positive option.
Whilst? Where are you from?
@jym626 — It is unnecessary. Sometimes, it is fun to find different ways to word things, and I think any instance of writing can be an opportunity to experiment. “Whilst,” however, is an unusual word in American English, as you indicate, so it’s best not to use it in most instances.
?? What is unnecessary? That word is not a commonly used word inthe US, so sondered if your high level of anxiety about safety in US colleges or wearing towels/robes inthe hall to a bathroom might stem for someone living outside the US.
@jym626 — Oh, I didn’t mean your comment was unnecessary, I meant the inclusion of the word in my comment was. “While” and “whilst” are technically synonyms, so I could have said the former just as easily. I am from the United States, to address your point. My discomfort stems from being homeschooled, I believe, and not from being a foreigner.
Hopefully you have attended some group homeschool programs so you are less uncomfortable in unfamiliar situations.