A Student Guide to Night Out Safety
Freshers’ week, student social nights, cheap drinks and last-minute plans. Nights out are one of the most
popular parts of being a student. You are out with your existing friends while also meeting new people
alongside making memories that you will cherish for years to come. But when it gets late, your phone dies or gets lost, you lose your friends and you are unaware of your surroundings, a night out can quickly become intimidating and worrying. So here our a few tips to ensure you stay safe while still enjoying your night out!
Share The Plan Before You Go Out:
Before you embark on the night-out let a housemate or trusted friend know what the plans for the night
include:
Where you are going (club/bar/pub)
Who you are going with
Estimated time you will get back home
How you’re planning on getting home (taxi, walk, bus)
If the plan changes while you are already out, try to inform the person you told the plans originally to avoid confusion. This can ensure safety as if you don’t arrive home near the expected time, they have an idea where you still are and who you should be with which will make contacting you that bit easier.
Set up a ‘My Home Call’ account before you go out:
Most student nights out don’t go wrong because of something dramatic – it’s the small stuff: your phone
dies, you lose it, it gets stolen, or you end up separated from your mates. That’s exactly where My Home Call fits in.
Set it up in advance by adding trusted contacts (housemates, trusted friends, parents). Then if your phone runs out of battery or disappears, you can still send a quick pre-set message and your location using any nearby smartphone – a mate’s phone, a venue phone, or even someone’s phone in a takeaway. It’s basically a safety net for the moments when your phone can’t do its job, but you still need someone to know you’re okay.
Charge your phone before you leave:
Every student has been in the position of noticing their phone battery is less than 10% just as they’re about to leave the door as they head out for the night, follow this advice to avoid the mistake occurring again.
Charge your phone whilst getting ready or at pre-drinks
Bring a small portable charger with you for the night
Turn on low-power mode to preserve battery whilst you are out
Turn off battery draining apps and put on airplane mode if needs be
