Staying Safe in Student Digs

As the year hits the mid-point and temperatures are rising, (well hopefully), there are hundreds of teenagers leaving school for the final time. Exams are all but over and the long summer break is upon us. Many of these ‘not quite’ children will head off to university come the autumn and they will be full of anticipation and perhaps a little trepidation as they take the first step towards adulthood and independence.

For us parents, this is a poignant stage because we all know that our time with our babies is now ticking away at an alarming rate and soon they are going to be flying the nest. Most of us have very mixed emotions; pride for their academic achievements and for the adults they are growing into but at the same time there is that overwhelming fear of letting go and embracing their first steps into independence.

Most of our fears will be based upon how safe we think they will be once they move out from under our close and watchful eyes. So this is the perfect time to discuss personal safety and some basic precautions that they will need to take because far too many new students are a little naïve when first leaving home.

Here are a few top tips which all students (and their parents) need to be made aware of:

Student halls

These can be pretty easy targets for opportunist burglars so care needs to be taken in shared accommodation, particularly in the first few weeks when all the faces are new and there is lots of hustle and bustle:

• Doors should not be left unlocked - even for brief periods, and never, left ajar. Imagine how easy it could be for someone to nip in your room and pocket money, phones, tablets and even laptops whilst you take a quick trip to the kitchen for a cuppa.

• Even vigilant door lockers can get caught unawares – imagine just how many people could have had keys to each room over the years. It’s worth checking when the locks were last changed and if they are patented or restricted, meaning that they can’t be copied without proof of ownership. If they have been the same for a long time it’s well worth considering asking for the locks to be changed, even if this is at your own expense.

• Battery-powered stand-alone alarms are readily available and could protect your valuables. They can be freestanding for ease of installation so they don’t need permission from the landlord.

• Tech savvy students could consider SMART security solutions – IP cameras, for example, can be free-standing and would enable the room to be monitored when empty. They can be used remotely, from any location and at any time from a smartphone.

• Portable safes can be a worthwhile investment - they are perfect for storing money, jewellery, smaller gadgets and personal documents and can be moved from one accommodation to the next.

• Make sure your child actually reads the fire safety notice and knows the correct evacuation procedures in the event of a fire.

Out and about

Your offspring has probably been taking care of themselves out and about for a while by the time they head off to university but it’s still worth reiterating a few points about personal safety, particularly when they will be living in a new town or city and won’t know the area as well as their home turf.

• Avoid being out alone late at night – there really is safety in numbers, particularly in large cities.

• Dark alleyways and car parks are dangerous – muggings are not uncommon and students can be vulnerable because they are probably less vigilant initially.

• Make sure they know where the nearest police station is just in case they feel threatened in any way.

The idea of encouraging some practical safety precautions is more about making your child vigilant and safe rather than nervous and fearful. If you know that they are taking all practical precautions both with themselves and their belongings then you can rest easy that you have done your best as a parent. Hopefully, your child will emerge from university both well-educated and a well-rounded member of society and ready to take on the working world!