A year ago, my roommate was walking home on High Street in the early morning hours the day before Thanksgiving, his birthday. He had consumed a few drinks but was in no way belligerent and was walking with a friend. He was merely a couple blocks from our apartment when a man came up from behind and landed a right hook to the base of his jaw, immediately dropping him unconscious on the sidewalk. He awoke hours later in a hospital bed.
The concussion he suffered kept him from competing in intramural sports the remainder of the year. Three of his teeth were knocked out and his jaw was fractured and subsequently wired shut. For six weeks, his meals consisted of anything that could fit through a straw.
Sometimes your safety is completely out of your control. But to the extent that people can protect themselves, some might as well paint bull’s-eyes on their chests.
It is surprising how comfortable many people feel walking around campus at night listening to their iPods. That device makes it impossible to detect anyone approaching you outside your line of vision. Doing this during the day, surrounded by thousands of other people, is much different than doing it at night, when the sidewalks are mostly bare. If you cannot completely detach yourself from your playlist, listening through just one ear bud can be a big improvement.
Many others walk, heads down, incessantly texting like they have no other responsibilities in the world. This also can divert a person’s attention enough to set them up for an unwanted visit. And when you’re talking to a friend on your cell phone, it is a good idea to let that person know where you are or at least where you are coming from. That way, if your friend senses that you’re in danger, he or she will know generally where to find you or send police.
Other safety tips: Keep a comfortable distance between yourself and the corners of buildings, walk quickly and in well-lit areas, and have your BuckID or key ready when you get home. Just giving the appearance of alertness makes a big difference. After all, the criminals, thugs and losers who do horrible things are not looking for a challenge. They’re looking for the unsuspecting, the unaware and the unprepared.
Truthfully, the chances of being attacked are pretty slim. But inevitably, an area this large and densely populated will foster some violence. And it only takes one moment of lapsed judgment to become a victim.
No innocent or upstanding person deserves to be harmed. No one has the right to mistreat another. Unfortunately, however, not everyone lives by those standards. Therefore, do your best to stay alert and stay safe, because eating with a fork and spoon is not something that should be taken for granted.
