The hustle and bustle of Bristol is high during this time of year, with students from around the country and world flocking to the city ready to experience the uni lifestyle. In this article, you’ll find a guide to staying safe during Bristol’s fresher week.
[Top image/Background credit: Gel Blaster Party]
University is often an exciting period for young adults. It’s the time when they are entering into the next chapter of their lives, moving away from home, learning to cook and clean for themselves, meeting new friends, experiencing city life and the responsibilities that accompany it. Keeping yourself safe, especially on nights out where you are out late and drinking alcohol, is all part of this.
If you do experience a situation that has left you suffering from an injury, it’s important you speak to solicitors who can assist with personal injury claims in Bristol. They will be able to advise you on your rights and the appropriate options.
To ensure you don’t need to make a personal injury claim, keep reading for an expert guide to staying safe during Bristol’s freshers week…
Buddy Up
Buddying up is one of the most important safety tips that are out there, but not just when you’re out walking home; when you’re in bars and clubs too.
Making sure that you always stick with another person on a night out is incredibly important, especially when you have been drinking alcohol and are walking home at night when it is dark. There is less chance of something happening to you if you stick with multiple people. As the saying goes, there is safety in numbers.
Stay Vigilant
When you are out and about, in bars, clubs, or walking home, always remain vigilant of your surroundings. If something or someone is making you feel uncomfortable, let someone know. It’s safer to be wrong than be right and not do anything about it.
Another thing to note when trying to stay safe during Bristol freshers is to trust your gut instincts. If something feels off, it’s because there usually is something off. Don’t suppress your feelings.
Keep a Close Eye on Drinks
Never leave your drinks unattended. Always make sure that you keep a close eye on them because you never know what anyone’s intentions are. Sadly, there are people out there who will try to harm you.
Having your drink spiked can result in an awful situation, with the possibility of impacting your entire life. While you shouldn’t need to worry about these things, it is unfortunately all too common. In 2019, there were 39 reports of spiking incidents in Bristol. This has since soared to almost 200 cases in the first half of 2022.
Ways to prevent your drinks from being spiked include:
- Going to the bar with your friends
- Making sure to keep your drink covered
- Never leave a drink unattended
- Not accepting drinks from strangers
- Notice changes to your drinks
- Not drinking from other people’s drinks
- Having an anti-spiking cover
STS talk more about drink spiking and how to keep your drink from harms way.
Writing Down Your Address
Moving into a new property often means that you don’t instantly remember your new address, and drinking alcohol can sometimes sway your memory more. One way to ensure you always know exactly where you’re going is either to put it into Google maps or give it to the taxi driver you’re using.
Another tip is to write your address on the notes app of your phone and set it as your lock screen. So, if you are in a situation where you need assistance, you can easily provide your address to those who can help you get home safely.
Charge Your Phone Before Going Out
Always make sure that your phone is completely charged or charged as much as possible before going out of the house. Doing this ensures that, should you be in a situation and you need to contact a friend, family member, the police, ambulance or someone else, you have the battery charge to do this.
To be extra safe, why not take a portable charger out with you?
Arrange a lift or use a taxi
The best way to keep safe on the journey home after your night out is by having a life home prepared in advance or using a ride-hailing company, whether that is a taxi, Uber or something else.
Your Safety is Important
What we can conclude from this article is that there are plenty of ways to keep yourself safe and sound, away from the dangers the world can and does unfortunately hold.
In most situations, you will be okay, but it’s important that you put extra precautions in place to ensure that you remain safe during your fresher’s week in Bristol.
What safety measures do you take on nights out? Let us know in the comment box below.
