On Sept. 22, it was announced that Temple was selected to receive up to $200,000 in free Uber rides for students trying to leave unsafe situations because of a partnership between Uber and Student Activists Against Sexual Assault, a student organization that aims to combat sexual violence, The Temple News reported.
The budget compensated students for up to four $20 rides around Main Campus and Philadelphia, with the partnership ending on Dec. 31. The budget was $200,000 which offered each student up to four free rides when they redeemed the code.
In August, Temple also launched their new TUSafe app, which includes features that include the ability to contact Temple Police, call 911, and access real-time tracking for Flight, among other options.
Campus safety is an essential and critical part of all college campuses but has been particularly highlighted at Temple in the past year.
These two new safety measures on campus are steps in the right direction for making students feel safe, but there are also a lot of other tips to increase student safety. I come from a small town in Massachusetts where I always feel comfortable so coming to Philadelphia has been a massive change for me.
Here are some top tips I’ve picked up since coming to campus that help me feel safe.
- Get a safety keychain.
Some of the most popular include an alarm, pepper spray, and any sort of hidden sharp object. They commonly feature some aesthetic keychains or charms to blend in.
- Get pepper spray.
In Pennsylvania, you can legally purchase and own pepper spray if you are 18 or older. You can find pepper spray at Walmart, Home Depot, Target and lots of other stores. I got mine from Dick’s Sporting Goods.
- Share your location.
Sharing my location is something that makes me feel the safest when I’m traveling around Philadelphia. I recommend sharing your location with more than one person just in case and making sure one of them is also enrolled at your school so they can get to you the quickest.
- Utilize the Uber safety options.
Uber safety has a lot of different subcategories that I’ll try to sum up:
- Share your Uber information with people who aren’t going on the trip with you. A quick screenshot of the main page can show your final destination, the make and model of the car, the license plate, and a photo of the Uber Driver.
- Always double-check the description of the car before you get in.
- Ask your driver who they are picking up instead of saying your name first.
- Use SAASA’s code when you or your friends are feeling unsafe.
- Be aware.
Always be aware of your surroundings, especially in new places and late at night. If you are listening to something through headphones, make sure you are still able to hear what’s going on around you. While that noise cancellation button is great, it’s not always the most ideal or safe.
While it’s unfortunately normal to not always feel the safest on campus, there are still steps we can all take to help protect ourselves. These are some of the tips that have helped me feel safe in my new city and I hope they can help you too.