Whether you’re enjoying your first semester in the dorms or setting off on your own to rent a studio apartment or find a great house with friends, life during college is about learning. And these lessons aren’t always just in the classroom. While it’s natural to make some mistakes in your social life and perhaps end up paying a little more in rent or cleaning up some messes, there is no reason for any college student to be entirely uninformed, whether it’s their first semester or their last. Here are ten tips for home security while you’re at college that can apply to anything from your own place to figuring out the best way to deal with life in the dorms.
1. Leave the MP3 player for later. If you’re walking home from the bus or subway and have your personal music player going, you’re going to be a lot less likely to hear someone running up behind you with the intent of mugging you. So don’t take risks and keep your music listening time for a more appropriate venue, especially if you’re keeping odd hours that have you alone late at night in the street.
2. Know your college benefits. So many schools out there get a big earful from parents about their student’s safety that they have to make dorm security and home security a big part of how they operate. This can mean anything from security guards in the dorms to escorts who will walk you home from the library or taxi vouchers so you don’t have to risk a nightly run across town. Know what your options are, and don’t be afraid to make use of them–you are paying for college, after all.
3. Lock your dorm room door. It doesn’t matter if you think everyone on your floor is your best friend, at least one person won’t be. Don’t be the one to get robbed. Lock the door every time you leave.
4. Know your neighborhood. Even if the university says the dorms or student housing options are in a great part of town, sometimes they can be offering an unrealistic view. For your own personal safety and home security, do some research about your neighborhood, and don’t run around at night until you know what the deal actually is.
5. Figure out street smarts. If you’ve never lived in a city before, the adjustment can be a pretty big step to take. But there are a few things to figure out right away. Always walk with a purpose like you know where you are going, even if you are completely lost. Don’t talk to strangers, and don’t admit to anyone, except for old people and authority figures, that you need some assistance. The rest you can figure out along the way.
6. Use your car keys as a handy home alarm system. If you’re spending a lot of time walking from your vehicle to your dorm or apartment during the evening hours, keep your car keys clutched in your hand. This way if anyone gives you trouble, you can just hit the button and sound the alarm.
7. Don’t throw parties. Leave the parties up to someone else, someone who can deal with having their computer stolen, their room trashed, and their living space covered in other people’s vomit. You don’t want to have a party.
8. Have rules about visitors. Whether it’s in a dorm or a house or an apartment, living with someone who always has a guest gets to be old fast. So set up ground rules beforehand, so no one gets too annoyed.
9. When possible, know who you live with–or at least choose who you live with. No, you can’t always room with your best friends, and a lot of the time, that would result in you not quite being friends anymore. But knowing a little something about your roommates or housemates, or having friends vouch for them, can mean the difference between getting someone kind and getting someone who no one else will live with for a good reason. Do your research–it’s your home security and safety at stake, after all.
10. Relax a little bit. If you ***** up and have a party and your iPod gets stolen, it’s not the end of the world. If you end up making your roommates angry because you keep having your boyfriend over, you aren’t unredeemable. There are learning lessons that are a part of college experience, and they have nothing to do with books but are often four times as valuable. Figuring out how to interact with people is just as important as going to class, so consider these experiences seriously valuable.
By: Levi Mortenson
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If you do end up with an apartment or house where you can install an alarm, consider
adt. More than one
home security system they offer is easy to reinstall elsewhere, if you find yourself moving a lot while earning your degree.