Top 10 Summer Safety Tips for College Students

If you are a graduating senior-there is a lot to celebrate this summer; the accomplishment of finishing high school, the anticipation of entering college and the freedom of leaving the nest! Many students celebrate by throwing parties, organizing a group trip to a fun beach destination, or maybe even a backpack tour around Europe with a group of friends. To make sure that your summer celebrations create nothing more than wonderful memories, be sure to follow a few Safety Tips from the Safety Chick...

Make Sure Your Intuition Antenna is UP... Getting from Point A to Point B is when we are all most vulnerable. Make sure to be aware of your surroundings and do not get distracted as you get to your party destination. DO NOT text and drive, NEVER drink and drive, and always make sure you have complete directions of where you are going and know the safest route to get there and back home safely.

Watch it Party Girl... Date rape drugs are very real, hundreds of women fall victim to drugging’s every year. GHB, one of the most common of the drugs, is clear, odorless and tasteless, making it very hard to detect if it has been dropped in your drink! Therefore you need to always keep your drink in front of you where you can see it-never leave your drink unattended and never accept a drink from someone if you did not watch it being made. Better yet, opt for a beverage that is sealed that you can open yourself, never drink from an open punch bowl and finally…When in doubt, pour it out.

Always Have Your Buddies Back...You know the term, Safety in numbers—let’s face it, criminals look for the easiest target-that is a young woman alone (usually at night) Make a plan with your friends BEFORE you leave the house that you all plan on going to the party together-and getting home together. Never leave a party without one of your girlfriends. This goes for when you are travelling together as well. Partner up to stay safe. If you see a young woman who has had too much to drink, make sure she gets home safely, that’s the code of the Safety Chick sisterhood...

Road Trip... If you and your friends decide to hit the open road for a weekend adventure, make sure to have your car checked out by a mechanic before you leave. Also, make sure to have an Emergency Road Kit in your car complete with jumper cables, flares, first aid kit, flashlight, rain poncho, blankets and gloves. Don’t forget your AAA Roadside Assistance card, your contact number and a good GPS device either installed in your car or on your cell phone. Be sure to map out your route before you go and don’t take any shortcuts if you are not ABSOLUTELY positive where you are going…getting lost in the middle of the desert in 100 degree heat is NO FUN and extremely dangerous!

Hotel, Motel, Holiday Inn... Most students are on budgets and while staying at a cheap motel is tempting, it is not always the safest personal safety choice. Most Motels do not offer the same security measures that a large hotel chain would. Pool your money-double up in the rooms and opt to stay at a reputable hotel. Pick a room by the elevator or highly trafficked area. Not by a stairwell or way down a hallway in a corner where criminals can hide or flee quickly. Also make sure to never open your door to a stranger-if you did not order room service, if you do not need maintenance of some sort-call the front desk and ask if they sent a hotel worker to your room-if they did not, ask for security to come up and make a report.

Give them a Sign…When you leave your room hang a “do not disturb” sign on the door- leave the TV on making it seem as though someone is in the room. Make arrangements with housekeeping to have the room straightened when you are there. Any thief casing the hallway for unattended rooms will assume yours is occupied.

Don’t leave the Details…If you brought magazines/reading materials from home-rip off the mailing address before you go-that way, when your hanging by the pool or beach you don’t have to worry about your personal information falling into the hands of a stranger. Your name and home address should be kept private!

Going Abroad… Always check with the Department of State BEFORE you leave to find out if there are any current travel warnings in the country you will be visiting-be sure to register with the American Consulate when you arrive.

Copy Everything... Make sure you have copies of all your important documents i.e. your passport, itinerary, emergency numbers and insurance cards. Leave a copy with your parents and a copy in the hotel safe, that way if anything gets stolen you will have all your information easily accessible making it easier to replace anything that you have lost.

Check in Often…Even though you are having the time of your life, and home is a distant memory (for the time being) it is very important to check in with your parents/family a couple of times a day. Set up a time to talk/Skype each day so that your loved ones know where you are. Leave a detailed itinerary with contact numbers of hotels/hostels and any other important information they might need to get ahold of you. If something were to happen-and you needed help, time is of the essence and being able to track your last whereabouts is vital.