When you enter college, self-defense is probably not very high up on your list of priorities. There’s studying to do, clubs to check out, and social events to attend—not to mention impromptu fast food runs late at night. Of course, you don’t want to close yourself off to all these activities, but at the same time, it’s important to exercise caution. Taking measures to keep yourself safe can help you avoid dangerous situations that pop up unexpectedly. Here are the best self-defense tips to stay safe in an around campus.
Don’t Walk Alone
This doesn’t mean that you need a walking buddy accompanying you everywhere you go. In the daytime, when there are a lot of people around, you should be fine to go about your business. Where you should be careful though is in more isolated areas and at night. A malicious person is more likely to choose to attack when there isn’t anyone around. Simply by being with a friend or a group, you will drastically decrease the likelihood that someone will come over and try to harm anyone of you. If you need to study at the library late or are going to a party, don’t walk alone.
Be Careful with Social Media
It’s fun to post about what you’re doing on social media and stay connected to friends online. Be that as it may, you should be selective about what you put up for so many people to see. Steer clear of constantly giving away your location, especially when you are alone. Someone—even someone you are acquainted with—may attempt to use this information in a bad way. You can do this by making posts ambiguous concerning where you are, turning off your location on certain social media apps such as Snapchat, and waiting until after the fact to say what you were doing. All these small actions will come together to put up an outer defense around you.
Learn Martial Arts
In the unfortunate event that you still face someone who wants to hurt you, you may have to rely on your knowledge of how to physically fight back and escape. Explore martial arts for self-defense as a way to train your body and mind for a potential struggle. With the right art, you won’t just be getting exercise, but you’ll also gain skills that are practical for real-life applications. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, for instance, can teach you how to subdue someone who is significantly larger and stronger than you with chokeholds. And in the martial art known as Eskrima, you can gain proficiency in fighting with whatever objects are nearby, as well as disarming a person who is pointing a weapon at you.
