Getting ready for college? Well you may want to prepare for more than just decorating your dorm.
College Safety Night
“Safety For The College Bound Student” was recently put on by the Naperville Police Department to teach parents and their students how to be ready for the big transition.
“Sometimes people think that we live in a bubble, because we have a really low crime rate and things are safe here,” said Crime Prevention Specialist Mary Browning. “But what people don’t realize is that we’re not crime free. And when you get to other cities and when you get to college campuses, there is a lot of crime. There’s no denying that, and we just want to make sure that we’re sending off our students well equipped so that they don’t become a victim of crime.”
Tips For Students
Some of Browning’s top tips for students are to practice situational awareness, trust your instincts, and tell friends your schedule so they’ll know when to expect you and where you’ll be.
“Plus we want our students to know like you need to stay in well-lit, well-travelled areas,” she added. “So don’t be taking those short cuts through those buildings and alleys where it’s very dark and it’s easy for people to hide.”
It’s also important to “lock it or lose it.” That goes for your dorm room, laptop, phone, and other valuables you’ll have with you on campus.
Understanding Consequences
Commander Timothy Ogan also touched on drug and alcohol education, discussing the consequences those would have on underage students.
“If you’re going to Texas or Maryland or California or whatever, we all talk. And if you get caught with a fake ID, and it comes back to Illinois the Secretary of State finds out, you could lose your license for up a year,” said Commander Ogan.
Making Smart Decisions
Browning and Commander Ogan agree that the key is all about making good choices as you make the most out of your college experience.
The college safety night was also a tie-in to this month’s Safer Naper topic of personal safety, and next month’s topic of back-to-school safety.
Naperville News 17’s Christine Lena reports.