Safety Tips

University will be one of the most challenging yet exciting and fun experiences of your life, and so many opportunities will come your way. However, amongst this excitement it is essential to remember to keep safe. Here are a few tips to help you!

A huge part of uni is the night life which is so much fun and a great way to get to know and meet new friends. One tip to keep safe on a night out is to make sure that you always stay with your friends and never leave them. Make sure that you have all of the numbers with the people you are going out with to make sure that even if you do get lost, you can easily ring and find them. Making sure that you stay with your friends all night also ensures that you leave with them and therefore stay safe when getting home. Sheffield Hallam has a safe taxi scheme in which you can ring City Taxis and quote ‘Safe Taxi Scheme’ and then hand your student card to the driver. Then, within 48 hours, collect your student card from the student’s union help desk and pay the fare then. Therefore, even if you don’t have any money to get home, you can still get a taxi to ensure you get back safely. Another tip for a night out is to never put your drink down to prevent your drink from getting spiked.

Another aspect of uni is moving out for the first time. If you want to make sure that all your belongings stay safe, then always ensure you lock your door when leaving the flat. Even though everyone you live with will most likely be lovely, for the first few weeks, it is best to keep peace of mind by making sure any belongings that are important to you are locked up in your room. Also, it is important to make sure that you are hygienic in the kitchen when cooking food. If you’re anything like me and are terrible at cooking, it is often a boring task sorting out meal plans and cooking food – take a look at our meal plans for advice. Always check dates on food, and remember to make sure everything is stored correctly such as raw meat to avoid any illnesses.

Finally, even though I hope university will be one of the happiest times of your life, there are bound to be times where you’re feeling super stressed or a bit down. This is fine! Go speak to friends or your tutors who will be more than happy to help you with any problems you may have. There is also the Sheffield Hallam Advice Centre to go to with any queries or concerns.