The Long Walk Home

One of the best part about college is that you're suddenly free to do whatever you want. You can stay out late, hit parties during the week and ... well, there's studying too, we guess. But just because you can head home at 2AM doesn't mean that you're totally safe doing so. Let's go over some simple rules for staying safe on campus at night:

-- Doesn't matter if you're a guy or girl, walk with a friend ... or more than one. Small groups are more intimidating to anyone who'd think about messing with you.

-- Have your keys out and ready if you're walking to your car. Fumbling for them takes your attention away from what's going on around you, leaving you vulnerable.

-- Carry mace or pepper spray on your keychain. You can buy a bottle small enough to fit in your purse or pocket, but big enough to still incapacitate someone.

-- Most campuses have a volunteer escort service to either walk with you or drive you home at night. Don't be afraid to take advantage of this kind of thing, even (or especially) if you've been drinking. These services are there for you, so put them to work!

-- If you're off-campus, take a cab back to the school. While many schools have security patrols around the campus, criminals know that the streets aren't watched even a few blocks away. We've known several people who've been mugged even a block from school.

-- If your school uses ids or badges to get into buildings, make sure that you don't hold the door open for strangers. There are people out there who might be waiting to take advantage of your kindness to get into a dorm, for example, where doors are often left open and rooms unattended.

-- If you see anyone suspicious on campus, call campus security or the police. There are non-emergency police lines that you can call to report suspicious activity, so have them programmed into your cell phone. Can't hurt to have that number at hand, even when it's not an emergency.