Students navigate safety on and off campus

By Brianna Wallen

News Editor

For many students attending college, safety is at the top of their priorities as they navigate both campus life and the surrounding city.

 Biology major Morgan McKenzie, a freshman, said that she feels relatively safe on campus, due to the visible police presence and safety measures.  

 “I see a lot of police cars around and the emergency poles, so I honestly feel safe,” McKenzie said. 

 McKenzie said that her only concern while staying at the university is that it is an open campus. 

 “I notice a lot of random people on campus, so it is a bit scary,” McKenzie said. “Like anyone can roam around and talk to us.” 

 While students may feel safe on campus itself, their concerns mostly revolve around the city.

 In a city such as New Haven, with a high crime rate, many students are particularly cautious about their surroundings.  

 Although New Haven Police Department records show that homicide and gunshots in New Haven decreased by more than 30% last year, many students remain concerned about the gun violence.

McKenzie said that she feels uneasy about the prevalence of crime in New Haven. 

 “Every news time I hear about New Haven in the news it involves guns,” McKenzie said. 

 Accounting major Kendrick Lagamao, a sophomore, said that he also feels safe on campus.  

 “I feel like the cops do their job well and could protect us if anything happens,” Lagamao said. 

 To help feel a better sense of security, Lagamao said that he and his friends travel in packs around campus.   

 “I feel like I’m always around people, so it is less likely for something to happen,” Lagamao said. 

 Similarly, other students also take their safety into their own hands.  

 “I carry pepper spray and an alarm button, just in case,” communication disorders major Arian Romero, a freshman, said.  

Romero said that she carries these safety precautionary items due to an interaction that happened earlier this school year in New Haven. 

 “Someone was following behind me and I just felt so scared,” Romero said. 

McKenzie said that she prefers to stay on campus and not explore the city, due to her identity as a woman. 

 “I feel like I need to be on my p’s and q’s,” McKenzie said.  “We as women have to be extra cautious due to the world we live in.” 

 For many students like McKenzie, it is their first time being away from home by themselves.McKenzie said that her mom often worries about her safety. 

 “When I came here my mom gave me a nice long talk about how I need to be aware of my surroundings and pay attention,” McKenzie said. 

 Lagamao said he particularly notices this difference in the level of concern for safety when he is around his female friends. 

“I am mostly around my guard when I’m around my girlfriends because I feel like they are mostly targeted by weird people, but when I’m by myself I’m fine,” Lagamao said. 

 Lagamao said that the split in realities for men and women is a sad reflection of the world we live in. 

 “It is unfortunate that women have to carry weapons and be on high alert,” Lagamao said. “There should be a higher level of safety and protocol out there to protect them more.”