With changes in your environment, there comes a flurry of other changes. Think about it; if you’re starting college (whether you’re dorming or not) you’re going to be surrounded by thousands of people you’ve never met, inside of buildings you’ve never been in, interacting with personalities that may or may not be upright citizens.
So as a girl-even outside of the college world- it is important that you take your safety as a priority. We don’t want to make this Flash Essay a downer, but did you know that roughly 26.4% of undergraduate women students have experienced rape or sexual assault? Think about it ladies, that’s a little more that 1 out of every 5 women! So here’s our quick, straight-to-the-point guide to staying safe in college!
GUARD YOUR DRINKS WITH YOUR LIFE:
The best thing would be to stay away from parties altogether. If you do end up wanting to let loose, go out with a friend you really trust! And I mean, really really trust! If you ever end up in a party, DO NOT EVER FOR THE SAKE OF ANYTHING LEAVE YOUR DRINK UNATTENDED! Not even if you have a regular Coca-cola! It is close to impossible to tell if your drink has been spiked, and staying sober enough to keep your drinks in sight can be a lifesaver!
BE CAREFUL WITH THE PEOPLE YOU HANG WITH:
I don’t mean to sound like all men are predators or that they all want to do you harm. But you need to understand that college is a time of hormones raging everywhere. It’s a time of guys being surrounded by a bunch of other young dudes that are probably egging them on to do stupid things. Don’t fall for “oh let’s hang out in my dorm” unless you 100% consent to the implications of what that question actually means. Let’s not act all innocent, a guy that barely knows you and wants to hang out alone, be alone with you or isolate you from your friends or the public is because he has one thing in mind… and it’s not studying. And if you’re down to clown, GREAT! Just be safe… cause remember what time we’re living in, Roe v. Wade has just been overturned, and if a ‘mistake’ happens while you were just supposed to watch a movie, it may not be as easy to abort. (Of course if that’s what you want!)
TAKE A SELF DEFENSE CLASS:
It’ll be fun; you’ll stay in shape, meet some cool people and you’ll learn something new! Plus you never know when you can use some of those moves!
We get you can be a bit scared about entering a whole new environment, but its not to say that your college experience is going to be filled with people that are out to get you. Quite the opposite! You’ll meet amazing people that you may be connected with for the rest of your life. It’s just important to stay vigilant and aware of your surroundings so you increase your chances of always staying safe! Hope this helped a bit!
From one chick to the next…
Stay safe!
Cee
P.S If you need some extra time to take those self-defense classes, we’ll handle your essays. Sign up and get $20 OFF your first essay here!
