Staying Safe on a Night Out

Over the coming weeks, there will be events and parties for approaching festivities, particularly for Bonfire Night and Christmas. These could be internal with the university at the Engine Shed, or with any of the clubs on and around the high street. While these events are a good way to socialise with friends, meet new people on your course/in your society, or just have some fun, there are also precautions that should be taken to ensure the night is safe and enjoyable for all.

The Night Out

Arguably the best way to stay safe would be to attend these events in groups, whether it is with flatmates, housemates, coursemates or with your society. The more bodies there are in the group, the more protection you and everyone else will receive. This advice extends to the journey to and from wherever it is you are going. You never really know who is on the streets at night and travelling in a group will likely negate any suspicious behaviour from those out and about.

Another way to stay safe on your night out would be to ask for a drink topper with any drink you order. With spiking an issue across the country, you will find that most, if not all, bars and clubs in the city will be happy to oblige you to this added security measure. The Student Union offers rapid drug-testing kits to anyone who fears they may have been spiked on a night out. These kits can be picked up from Student Wellbeing.

If for whatever reason you find yourself walking home alone, you could call a friend or family member, just to give you some security. You may be waking that person up, but I’m certain they’d rather be woken up than hear something terrible has happened.

Campus Security

It is also worth knowing the security measures in place on campus, from the 24/7 security team to the campus police officer, PC Wrigley. The security team protects the students on campus and deals with any suspicious activity. You will see security personnel patrolling the campus at night which you can approach if you don’t feel safe at any point. There is also a 24/7 phone line to call if you are not near any patrolling personnel: 01522 886062.

PC Wrigley can be found around Student Wellbeing or the Student Support Centre and he can offer advice on staying safe around Lincoln. He can also be contacted by email: campuspolice@lincoln.ac.uk if you don’t manage to catch him on campus – any reports or issues you may have can be conveyed anonymously.

Another Option

Alternatively, you could forget all these measures and stay in to host your own events, be it with friends and/or flatmates. You could then have these friends stay over, leaving them to walk home in the safety of daylight, or you could be the one crashing at a friend’s. Either way, this avoids many of the dangers of a night on the town.

It can be fun to spend a night out with friends, but you should also consider the dangers and the ways to protect yourself from them. Nobody wants to find out that their friend or a family member has been hurt while out at night, as I’m sure you wouldn’t want to find that out either.

Useful Links

24/7 Services and Support: https://twentyfourseven.lincoln.ac.uk/

Campus Security: https://estates.lincoln.ac.uk/services/estates-services/security/

Campus Police Officer: https://studentservices.lincoln.ac.uk/staying-safe/campus-police/