As much as we preach to avoid walking around at night, alone, in a dimly lit areas, sometimes you just happen to be in that situation. Maybe your phone died and everywhere nearby is closed. So what do you do?
1.) Admit you’re in a crappy situation. There’s no getting around it. Sometimes you just have to accept the fact that you could be in a better spot right at the moment. Here, I’ll give you an example.
A few weeks ago I visited San Francisco. I was going to do a photoshoot for a couple in a town about an hour south of San Fran, so I took a train to their town. The station closes at 10:30, so when I rode the train back I figured even though the trains were no longer running, at least I’d be able to sit at the station and wait for my ride.
However, being unfamiliar with the town, I got off at the wrong stop. Bad move. There was no station, only the exit platform, in the middle of nowhere. There weren’t even streetlights. So here I am, completely lost walking through downtown San Francisco, in the dark while carrying a backpack full of expensive gear and a huge camera hung around my next. This, folks, is what one might call a “mugger’s dream”.
So I looked around and decided to act, quick.
2.) Think it through. Just waiting there for my ride wouldn’t have done me much good, so instead I walked to the nearest traffic light. By being in a more public and lit area you decrease your chances of being accosted. Plus, traffic lights are easy to find for someone coming to pick you up. It doesn’t matter what direction they come from, they just need to find that light.
3.) Have a way to defend yourself. Nowadays, there’s no excuse for not carrying some form of protection. At www.secureoncampus.com, we carry a variety of pepper sprays, including ones that even look like lipstick or perfume. We also carry personal alarms that give off a loud screeching sound as soon as you press the button. And no one likes breaking into a car when the alarm is going off…
4.) Learn from the situation. My lesson? Ask someone where you are before just getting off the train! Same goes for you if you ended up stranded after a midnight study session. Maybe everyone left the library and you thought the buses were still running but it turns out they stopped hours ago. When a friend offers you a ride, take it!
And don’t forget; for dorm safety items (like pepper spray, safes and personal alarms), check out our store at www.secureoncampus.com, and for dorm decorations (like dorm lighting, fun drinking games, and wall decals) check out our store at www.thegoodlifeoncampus.com!
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