5 Essential Safety Tips for Off-Campus College Students

It’s tempting to think of university life as a bubble, insulated from everything else. But just like anyone else, college students are vulnerable to dangerous situations. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 27,300 crimes were reported on vocational or higher-education campuses in a year—the most common being physical assault, sexual offenses, vehicle theft and burglaries. The bottom line? You don’t need to live every day in fear, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take precaution.

What actions can you take to ensure a safe commute to and from your apartment? These are crucial conversations, so be sure to follow these college safety tips as you embark on the new spring semester (and spread the word to your roommates, too):

Secure Your Wi-Fi Network

Wi-Fi runs on a wireless router that sends signals to your devices, allowing them to connect online whenever you’re in range. The obvious perk of Wi-Fi is immediate, automatic internet access without any external cords. But there’s an often overlooked risk of using Wi-Fi, too. Unless your network is secure with strong encryption, other devices in the area can tap into the signal and potentially see sensitive, personal data you store online, such as your home address or contact information. Here’s how to protect that Wi-Fi network:

• Update your wireless router to WPA3 Personal. This encryption setting will scramble all information transmitted through your network, preventing other users from accessing your online activities.
• Change your network and router passwords. Both the Wi-Fi network and router come with pre-set factory passwords, so be sure to change them to more complex passwords that no one else is likely to figure out.

Practice Constant Situational Awareness

When walking home alone, calling your friend to chat makes sense (especially if they’ve got good gossip to share). But in reality, talking on the phone can impair your situational awareness. The less alert you are (especially in an area that’s dark or isolated), the more vulnerable you could be to an attack. Of course, walking home with a friend or classmate who lives nearby is ideal. But if going solo is unavoidable, pay close attention to your surroundings and move as briskly as possible.

Watch What You Post on Social Media

Your relationship with social media can actually be vital to your safety. If you choose to have public social media accounts, be careful how much information you put on your profiles. Avoid tagging your exact location; as harmless as it seems, making your location available can be dangerous. There’s always a chance that someone with bad intentions could use your location tag to track you down in real time—a post is not worth the risk.        

Send Your Location to a Close Friend

While you’ll want to avoid making your location public, sharing this information privately with a close friend you can trust doesn’t hurt. Most smartphones have a feature that allows you to send your location to a specific contact. The recipient can then see your whereabouts or make sure you arrive home on time. This extra layer of safety can do wonders for your peace of mind.

Know How to Use SOS on Your Phone

In a crisis situation, you need to be able to contact emergency services as soon as possible—and that’s where your smartphone SOS function comes in handy. SOS is quick and straightforward to use, and it will ping local first-response agencies with your exact location to send help. So whether you’ve been hurt in a car accident or feel threatened by a person following you home, here’s how to activate SOS:

• For Apple Users:
  • Press the button on the right side of your phone and the volume button on the left side simultaneously. Hold both buttons until a slide feature that says “SOS” in red letters appears on the home screen.
  • Drag the SOS slider to the right to contact local emergency services. If you cannot do this, continue to press the two side buttons. A countdown will start on the home screen, then once it ends, your mobile device will transmit an automatic signal to first responders.
  • Create an emergency contact list in the phone’s SOS settings. Once activated, SOS will send text alerts to each emergency contact with your location and real-time updates. 
  • For Android Users:
    • Turn on “Emergency SOS” in your mobile device settings. Choose which functions to activate: Call emergency services; Play alarm sound; Share information with emergency contacts; Record emergency video. 
    • To use SOS, press the power button five times in quick succession. A countdown will start on the home screen, then once it ends, the functions you chose in the settings will deploy. (Note: the video recording feature can film up to 45 minutes, but it’ll stop if you access other apps that also use the camera.) 

• For Android Users:
  • Turn on “Emergency SOS” in your mobile device settings. Choose which functions to activate: Call emergency services; Play alarm sound; Share information with emergency contacts; Record emergency video. 
  • To use SOS, press the power button five times in quick succession. A countdown will start on the home screen, then once it ends, the functions you chose in the settings will deploy. (Note: the video recording feature can film up to 45 minutes, but it’ll stop if you access other apps that also use the camera.) 

Plan Ahead for Off-Campus College Safety

Your time in college is meant to be fun—so to make the most of this experience, prioritize your safety. Here at EPOCH Clemson, your welfare is our number one priority. As an off-campus student housing complex, we understand the importance of college safety measures firsthand. We have an onsite security team and a private shuttle that will take you both to and from campus. Contact us to learn more about our commitment to keeping you safe.