The first few weeks of university are a dizzying whirlwind of drinking, dancing, socialising and attempting to feed yourself, along with much confused roaming about endless corridors and staircases trying to find where your seminar is.
As freshers try to get comfortable in a new and well-upholstered seat of learning, it’s often easy to forget the importance of staying safe both on and off campus.
Alongside concerns about the quality of mental health and wellbeing provision for our over-stressed teenage generation, fears over student safety are a top priority for most parents.
Fortunately, safety is taken seriously on campus these days, and university authorities and student representatives are working with varying degrees of effectiveness to address both student and parental concerns.
Student unions are often proactive in promoting safety, with many running courses during Freshers’ Week and throughout the year on how to keep risk to a minimum. Increasingly, universities are also running modules – sometimes compulsory – on sexual consent. Those with a particularly strong record in this area are identified in the university profiles in this guide.
It’s good to remember that vigilance doesn’t need to translate into fear, however, and caution doesn’t have to manifest into students seldom leaving their halls or houses.
How to stay safe at university
Use apps to keep you and your friends safe
Student safety groups advise that when a group of friends is out together on a night out in a busy club or bar, everyone should decide on a safe meeting place in case anyone gets lost (File image)
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Tech can be a firm best friend to new students in helping to keep them safe. There are myriad mobile phone apps which use different methods – such as GPS tracking – to make sure friends know where each other are and to give students the opportunity to raise an alarm should they find themselves in a potentially unsafe situation.
With the Circle of 6 app, tapping a phone screen two times alerts a chosen group of half a dozen friends to the user’s whereabouts or how they need help.
Activating the safety app Guardly connects the user to public authorities and a list of emergency contacts, while StreetSafe lets friends locate each other on a map with real-time updates.
These apps can be useful should a student in a new town or city find themselves on their own. But in the first few weeks of university life, the firm advice from student bodies is that it’s better to stick with a group rather than roam too much alone.
Student safety groups advise that when a group of friends is out together on a night out in a busy club or bar, everyone should decide on a safe meeting place in case anyone gets lost.
It’s also vital not to use the confidence that comes with a few drinks to experiment with new shortcuts home. Even if it takes a bit longer, despite the aching feet, students should take the route they’re most familiar with and not be tempted to go venturing down unlit streets or across parks and fields.
How to keep possessions secure
It’s crucial for freshers to be on guard from the outset by taking a few simple measures such as marking phones, laptops or any other valuable items with a UV pen (File image)
It’s not only personal safety that’s crucial. Keeping possessions safe is something many students have a worryingly laissez-faire attitude towards.
According to one recent study, 20 per cent of student burglaries occur in the first six weeks of the academic year. So, it’s crucial for freshers to be on guard from the outset by taking a few simple measures such as marking phones, laptops or any other valuable items with a UV pen.
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Dialling *#06# on a mobile phone will result in an IMEI number (International Mobile Equipment Identity) being displayed on the screen. Making a note of it on paper is vital in helping police to track the device should it be stolen.
Personal contents insurance does sound very dull. But students who fail to get their valuables insured can end up spending thousands replacing their laptops, phones, bikes or TVs. Many sites, including the excellent savethestudent.org, have comparison listings to help first-year students find the best deals.
Whether it is making sure mobile phones are fully charged before going out, carrying a personal alarm or not accepting ‘help’ from a stranger at a cashpoint, taking these simple steps will maximise the chances of the first few weeks of university being a time of thrills, spills and discounted student union cider and cheesy chips (which, by the way, should never be consumed at the same time).
Download proper security and antivirus software for laptops and computers – they are not always safe in university libraries or in halls
Be sure to hold on to your alcoholic or soft drinks at all times when out in a bar or club. Accept a lid for any drink, which many bars and student unions now offer.
Keep valuables out of plain sight at home, ensure all the locks work properly and immediately contact the university if there are concerns about the security of a new house or dorm block.
Take a photo of a bicycle frame number and invest in a good-quality bike lock. Remember that half of bicycle thefts in the UK are from the owner’s home or garage, not just when they’re locked up on the street.
Be wary around cashpoints in a new town or city and try to only use them in daylight hours.
What to avoid to stay safe at university
Always trust your gut instinct. Many bars now run an ‘Ask for Angela’ policy where if you feel uncomfortable in a situation, you can ask a member of the bar staff for ‘Angela’ to get help (File image)
Do not assume everyone on campus can be trusted. Keep important ID such as your PIN numbers, university ID, bank cards and bank statements hidden away. There’s no need to invest in a safe but do keep these things hidden.
Remember, it is not always easy to find friends on a night out. If you’re going to a new venue with a new crowd, have a meeting place where everyone can check in every hour or so.
You should also be wary of trusting any taxi firm office on the high street, as it may not necessarily has a good reputation. Your university student union should have a list of trusted taxi firms.
To help you get home, many universities now offer shuttle services between library facilities, and even bars and nightclubs, and halls of residences. Find out what’s on offer before taking a walk home.
Don’t let anyone walk home alone (and this applies to boys and girls). If one of your group wants to leave a night out early, make sure you or someone else walks home with them (even if you don’t feel ready to leave). How much do you want one more drink or one more dance?
Lastly, always trust your gut instinct. Many bars now run an ‘Ask for Angela’ policy where if you feel uncomfortable in a situation, you can ask a member of the bar staff for ‘Angela’ to get help.