Ohio State students on Waldeck Avenue use cameras and home security systems to improve their safety in their off-campus housing. These students use a ring doorbell camera, as well as signs posted on their front door, to indicate a home security system. Credit: Bailey Johnston | Lantern Reporter
During his first night living off campus in September 2022, Alexander Kim, a fifth-year in computer science, said he experienced an attempted bike theft when someone tried to break his bike lock.
In response, Kim moved his bike to his third-story balcony for added security.
It was stolen three months later.
Kim’s experience represents a challenge nearly all students who are living on their own for the first time face: a concern for personal safety and the security of their belongings. To ease the transition to living off campus, Ohio State’s Off-Campus and Commuter Student Engagement office and the “Stay Safe, Buckeyes” online class each offer tips on how to ensure one’s safety at home.
Though off-campus housing promotes self-sufficiency, university spokesperson Dan Hedman said in an email students should be aware of the various safety measures that come into play when one moves from on to off campus.
“Residence halls require swipe card access and are regularly patrolled by police and security,” Hedman said. “Living off-campus is a step toward independence but also added responsibility in prioritizing your own safety.”
Similarly, university spokesperson Dave Isaacs said students who rent properties in off-campus areas adopt safety responsibilities they did not have to consider in campus residence halls.
“You, as a renter, need to take care of what may have been taken care of by, let’s say, the university when you lived on campus,” Isaacs said. “So, for example, maintaining smoke alarms; [the university] took care of that when you live in a residence hall. You’re on your own when you’re living off campus.”
While renting a property, Isaacs said it is essential to know the duties that come with the lease, as well as the landlord’s obligations. By fully understanding this information, students can be proactive in maintaining the safety features of their homes.
“Things like exterior lighting — who maintains it? Are you responsible for changing the light bulb or is your landlord?” Isaacs said. “Those are some of the things that are really important when you’re moving off campus.”
Theft and personal safety
Maintaining interior and exterior lighting is a crucial step for increasing safety, as it helps students protect themselves and their belongings, Hedmen said. He also said curtains and blinds should stay closed, entry points should remain locked and valuables and cash should be hidden to prevent unwanted people from entering the property.
“Police advise students living off-campus to always lock doors and windows,” Hedman said. “Even though it may be more convenient when living with roommates to leave exterior doors unlocked, that makes it easier for criminals to gain access.”
In addition, Hedman said students should “utilize free door and window alarms” that, according to the OCCSE’s website, are provided by the university in room 3106 of the Ohio Union Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Isaacs said the university offers up to five window and door alarms for each student to install in their on- or off-campus housing, as well as a personal safety alarm for outside the home.
These window and door alarms are mentioned in the Department of Public Safety’s Stay Safe, Buckeyes class, an online resource that Hedman said offers household safety tips and ways to increase general security for students on and off campus.
“I would encourage everyone to watch the 10 video modules included in our Stay Safe, Buckeyes online class,” Hedman said. “It discusses how to prevent crime, how to report crime, and other important safety steps all Buckeyes can take to enhance safety.”
Students can access the Stay Safe, Buckeyes class on the Department of Public Safety’s website or via the video playlist posted on the university’s Office of Administration & Planning’s YouTube channel.
Fire safety
The OCCSE’s website states that according to the U.S. Department of Education, 87% of university fires occur in off-campus areas.
Isaacs said most house fires are caused by “unattended cooking,” though “electrical fires” and “carelessly discarded smoking materials” are also concerns students should be mindful of.
To help prevent fires from occurring, Isaacs said students should avoid overloading their outlets — or plugging in too many devices — and use power strips instead of extension cords for longer-term use. For the colder months, Isaacs said students who use space heaters should keep them at least “three feet away from flammable items.”
Isaacs said rental properties don’t always supply their tenants with fire extinguishers, so it’s crucial that students independently obtain them as a proactive safety measure.
“The city of Columbus does not require landlords to put a fire extinguisher within their units, and not everyone provides them,” Isaacs said. “So, make sure you have a fire extinguisher; whether you provide it or whether the landlord does, make sure there is one there and that you know how to use it.”
A video demonstration of how to operate a fire extinguisher can be found on the Office of Student Life’s website.
For more information on general home safety tips for off-campus students, visit OCCSE’s website.
