Safety and Self-Defense

When it comes to the lives of others, we often make premature judgments. We can’t see their backstory, so we don’t know the whole story.

MtvU recently worked with a bunch of college students to produce a wonderful interactive experience on "The Backstory" on human trafficking.

When I first heard of the new MTV series “Catfish” a few months back, I would have never guessed it would be a show about online dating. I’ve only heard the term used in two ways: one most commonly for cooking the actual fish, but the other is when my mother sometimes uses it to describe something as “ugly” or “out of style,” saying it was a popular term to use in the 1980s.

Nowadays, when most of us hear the term, we think of an online dating hoax or even Notre Dame Linebacker Manti Te’o. But what can we learn from our predecessors?

The first day of my internship, I made sure to leave early. Tardiness is not an attractive first impression! I sat in the waiting room before they unlocked the office, but at least I was on time and prepared.

I had checked the directions carefully before heading out. Parking takes some time on the first day, so if that’s a factor, be sure to add that in as well. Also make sure to prepare the necessary documents. Paperwork is often a substantial part of the first day, so being able to properly fill everything out is a must.

It's been rough on the East Coast after Hurricane Sandy ripped through the tri-state area and left complete destruction in its path.

New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have never seen a storm like this, so residents were not as prepared as they should’ve been. Sandy wiped out everything in its path, causing everything from fires to flooding to power outages.

Queens, Staten Island and Long Island were the worst hit spots I’ve seen. The destruction in some of my favorite neighborhoods was something out of a movie. Myself, along with fellow superstorm victims, never expected that anything like this could happen to us.

College is a wonderful time in your life to celebrate your independence and enjoy your first taste of freedom. With those endeavors, though, comes a huge responsibility to protect yourself and your safety when being exposed to a new environment and complete strangers.

I had the privilege of speaking with the head of security at Penn State University Park Sgt. Frances McClellan to learn some of the best tips to keep you safe on campus, so the only thing keeping you up at night will be worrying about acing that literature exam!

As much as your campus may feel like a mini-community, it is still a place where you have to be careful and take certain precautions to remain safe. Whether your school is smack dab in the center of a city that never sleeps or is in the middle of the mountains or a suburban neighborhood, crime and violence can still occur.