7 Winter Off-Campus Safety Tips

By Allie Mitchell on December 27, 2016

The wintertime can go two different ways, meaning that one half of the population loves the winter, the holiday season, and all the other joys that come along with the winter weather, while the other half can’t stand the winter. The cold is just not their cup of tea and some people are not even holiday season people.

Whether you are in either one of these categories, the winter can bring joy or annoyance, but it can also bring many safety issues, especially since you are no longer on campus and most people are traveling, which can be highly dangerous when it comes to the wintertime and other drivers.

Taking precautions is something everyone should do for lots of occasions and situations, but each comes with their own specific needs. The wintertime comes with its own things to look out for and its own ways for students to make sure that they get through the winter happy and healthy and, most of all, safe.

Safety tips are not meant to be overbearing and they are not meant to tell you not to have fun and go crazy. Safety tips are just meant to make sure you know what to do if the need arises, which I hope it doesn’t.

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The number one tip for almost any situation is not to panic if you can help it. Panicking can cause your judgment to be a bit impaired sometimes and you can’t think logically. But, I won’t go too crazy with the safety tips for the winter, just small tips that can make sure you have a successful winter without any sort of mishaps because who wants anything to go wrong on their winter break? You want it to be smooth sailing all the way from beginning to end.

1. Lock doors and windows: This one is probably very self-explanatory but you would be surprised at how many people forget to do this. Every time you leave your apartment you need to make sure everything is locked. No open door policy. No need to be paranoid, but being overly trusting can get you robbed or something worse. Don’t give people the opportunity that could have been avoided in the first place. And if you have expensive Christmas gifts, I know you will want to keep those safe as well.

2. No hidden key: Honestly, hiding your key under a flower pot or above your door is extremely cliché and almost everyone knows where to look for those keys. Unless you have some magic spot that only you know about, then so be it. You can give your extra keys to a trusted neighbor if need be, but hiding it under a normally hidden place just gives you away to criminals.

3. Adjust thermostat: If you are leaving for an extended amount of time make sure to set your thermostat to a low heat, but not below 55 degrees. This little trick can prevent your pipes from freezing over, which can cause you a lot of issues when you get back. Dorms do the same thing when you leave, but they also want you to keep the hot water on for a good few minutes before you leave.

4. Hold mail: Have the post office hold your mail for you. There is no way you want to leave your mail open for anyone to come and get, especially for when you get packages. No package should be sitting on your front step for a good lengthy period of time. Just have all your mail routed to your closest post office and pick it up there when you get back.

5. Good lighting: Make sure you have good indoor and outdoor lighting just so you are aware of what is going on. If you are going to be gone for a lengthy period of time, you need to make it look like someone is home and not like your house is abandoned for the time being. Set lamps on a timer or just leave some lights on. Get a good porch light as well for when you are coming home late and need to be able to see.

6. Your surroundings: Just like any other time of the year, make sure to look around. Make sure you understand your surroundings and what is going. Be aware of what is going on and all your ways out. Be on alert, especially when it is dark outside. Have your phone charged and check around you every so often.

7. Door open, NO GO: If you come back and see a sign of forced entry into your place, then do not go inside. The wintertime is one of the bigger times for home invasions so make sure to call the police if you see any sign of forced entry.

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