A poster from the Class of 22 asked specifically about thoughts on safety and what they should consider - the poster mentioned pepper spray.
I responded about the Birdie to provide information about this alarm system.
It is up to the person to decide what they want to include in a safety toolkit - be it talks, a safety devise, awareness of campus resources etc and not sure how this turned in to an opinion piece.
Thatās just what was reported. I am sure all the schools have higher numbers.
thanks for looking it up. Iām guessing those rapes were student to student not some stranger breaking into a dorm or someone being surprised walking on campus. That also likely means itās happening in campus housing. So itās not a situation where someone is walking and is surprised. If kids have pepper spray on them in situations where they are at parties or in dorms where that assault could happen, then it could help. I just donāt know that kids are keeping their pepper spray in their front pocket at all times.
āFondlingā most likely happens at a crowded party, so is the student carrying that pepper spray at the ready?
Ah sorry. I didnāt remember that the question was about safety.
It seems often here on CC we all think in absolutes. All times. All attacks.
Iāll get this one out of the way quickly. Pepper spray will not prevent ALL attacks. Pepper spray may not be immediately handy or even work against the attacker, since there are some people who can be immune to it. But if it helps just one person, then thatās ONE success.
Pepper spray is affordable and easy to use, but yes, it may not work in EVERY situation, but thatās not a reason to not buy and carry it. We all live different lives.
I guess my point is that, if you go to school in NYC and are coming home late from being out, then I get the pepper spray. I really do. But on a remote campus where the crimes committed are student on student and committed in campus buildings or frat houses, I just donāt know that kids would have it where they could grab it quickly to use it. I also get that, for anyone particularly concerned, they could always have it on their body somewhere to use it. I just donāt see D doing that in her particular campus situation. I wouldnāt want parents to send Birdies and/or pepper spray with their student thinking it will help in the most likely rape or assault situations unless their D is going to carry it in her pocket.
Not to beat this over and over again - Birdieās can hang from your backpack, keys, lanyard etc - they are made in āfunā colors and the alarm can be triggered by pulling the cover off the pin attachment. It is a personal alarm device.
They make a loud alarm noise - wonāt stop anyone - but can call attention to an issue and/or scare someone/something away.
PS: I donāt work for Birdie 
Iāll keep this going lol.
Do you need two hands to pull the cover off?
nope - easy to set off alarm. we also use when hiking along with bear spray and kids have on their coat when skiing when they are not using a beacon.
I talked to S21 earlier today. He met with his advisor this morning, he registers for Fall classes tomorrow. Heās already classified as a Sophomore with 56 hours completed because of the all the AP and Dual Credit he came in with. After this semester ends, heāll have 72 hours and be a junior!!! Itās crazy to think that this is his first āyearā of college!! Heās got so many options to think about nowā¦doing a semester abroad vs just a summer or winter sessionā¦adding certificates and minors or applying for one of the fast track Masters Programs. Iām just so dang proud of him. Not gonna lie, I was worried about how he would do on his own for the first time lol, but heās matured so much!
Tonight, the Muslim Students Assoc is hosting an Interfaith Charity Iftar Banquet. Heās taking 3 of his friends. This is the first Ramadan away from home, Iāve been missing him so much. He wonāt be home for our big holiday, Eid, as it will be Finals Week, but I guess Iād better get used to that empty nest feeling lol.
So D21 registered for classes today and is heading for her third major in 3 semesters. Started in nursing. In October said she wanted to change to Engineering. Now is talking about wanting to become an actuary. So she registered for her fall 2022 classes as a Data Science and Statistics major. We were concerned about a 3rd major in 3 semesters but she mapped out all the classes she would need for engineering versus the Data Science over the next 3 years and felt she would like the Data Science courses better. Also she went to meet with the woman who is head of the department and an actuary and she liked what she heard. It will also allow her to get a minor in the Framer Business School which has a great reputation. So we are good with her choice.
@burghdad easier to figure this out through coursework in college than after a year on the job with a specific degree. Good for her for the exploration! I wish more kids felt free to say āwhat I thought I knew about myself at 18 is different than what I know now at 19 or 20 and thatās okay.ā
My H has enjoyed his actuary career and is involved in a couple professional groups, volunteered to help create and grade exams. It has been a great career for him.
I work for a data analytics company - Iām not a data analyst, but the guy Iām friends with who is says itās way better than being an actuary! I wish I had the stomach for it! LOL
D is finishing up freshman year at JMU and doing well. Canāt wait to be rid of the roommate! She rushed and next year will have a single in the sorority house as she will be āhouse momā - with the added bonus of that being a paid position through residence life.
She also changed majors - dropped psych for Media Arts & Design with a creative advertising concentration and now looks like a triple minor! Honors is considered a minor, then another in communications and a 3rd in British media (all credits will be earned in her semester abroad in London, hopefully Fall of ā23. She and several friends have planned an early June trip to Charleston, so all in all, a great freshman year!
That sounds so great for your Daughter other than the bad roommate. I like the major change because it sounds more fun and more importantly more likely to get a job out of college. Also the study abroad sounds great and who wouldnāt like a trip with friends to Charlestonā¦ā¦lolā¦ā¦
I actually just had dinner with a girl who I coached in softball for many years who is going to JMU to play softball. It really seems like a great school and looks beautiful.
I will mention the Data Analyst type of major/job to my daughter. I am sure once she gets into the Data Science major realm she will be exposed to the various options besides actuary.
It so fun to hear how our kids are doing and thrivingā¦ā¦
Hope my kid is thrivingā¦she is biting her nails at the moment waiting for Covid rest resultsā¦her roommate and another friend tested positive and moved out to a hotel yesterday,yikes! And with final papers and tests soon. On the one hand, D got a negative rapid test result yesterday, but on the other she feels mildly symptomatic (but could easily be a cold or pollen allergies and general stress).
I will look into the birdie for her to have for her summer term in Florence. She has always been a cautious person, even as a child. Sheāll be sharing a room with a good friend in a family home. I have a feeling she and the friend will do a lot of walking around and going out together, but there surely will be some occasions when she will walk somewhere alone, by choice or not.
For myself, it looks like Iāll be buying pepper spray to have on hand walkIng my dog in the neighborhood. My little dog is healing up from her pitbull attack and I donāt want to take any chances in our āsafeā small town.
My son had a friend that was not feeling well, tested negative 3 times before testing positive. The next day my son tested positive. Sending positive vibes her way, but tell her to be careful, just in case.
Many campuses are going back to indoor mask mandates. Even read this morning that Howard U is going remote for the rest of the term. Appears that cases are rising quickly at colleges across the country.
Really interesting episode of Freakonomics podcast this week. Itās ep 500 for those with time on their hands. Facts and research about what college delivers and what different types of college deliver.
Well, Dās test came back negative. BUT her boyfriend (who she admitted she has spent a lot of time with in these last two days when she was supposed to be isolating) tested positive this afternoon with a PCR test. He has high fever. Instead of testing at the student center where results are taking more than 48 hours, he went to an urgent Care place and got results in a couple of hours. So D also went for an urgent care PCR test, which just came up negative. YAY. Except itās too early to really say YAY yet. She could have gotten infected by BF yesterday so she has to isolate, take a new test in five days and wear a mask at all times for ten. Sigh. So if she does have covid that would be a very long isolation period for her. She says she already feels lonely with her roommate and boyfriend and another friend all in hotels. I advised her to FaceTime a lot with themā¦I imagine they need the company.