Most colleges I have looked into have policies preventing “dangerous weapons” from entering the campus. I am very concerned about self-defense and was wondering, in general, what is prohibited on campuses. I am trained in the use of self-defense weapons and was wondering which ones would be appropriate to bring. I would only carry something that was not prohibited by state or campus authorities.
You are going to have to check each college’s policy to see what, if any, weapons are allowed. What type of self-defense weapons are you considering bringing?
What types of crimes are you anticipating occur on campus which would require the use of self-defense weapons?
I have the same question as @roycroftmom. However, if there is a very personal/unique type of situation or threat that you are concerned about, you might want to speak with the school directly and get their assistance in making sure that you can be safe.
Mwfan1921 — I have training in firearms but I wouldn’t consider bringing one; I don’t want to be “that guy,” and I have no intent to bring serious harm to anyone in self defense.
Primarily, I’m considering ASP batons (in states where they are legal, of course), standard batons, brass knuckles, or some other blunt-force weapons, though I’d mainly consider something as simple as pepper spray or a stun gun as being sufficient. I’m not concerned with state and local laws, as I can easily check that to see what is legal, but I find that many colleges are very vague with their policies. I’ve even received printouts of conduct policies that don’t include a list of weapons prohibited.
An email to campus security should clarify things.
I might use your Vince Lestrade alias though.
roycroftmom — The same situations that one would be concerned about occurring anywhere else. The campuses I’m looking to go to are inner-city, meaning I’d constantly be going on and off public, inner-city sidewalks in order to navigate the area. Also, I’d have to walk around the city to get from one building to another. I’ll be living on campus, so any weapon I have with me will have to be on campus at some point (therefore, it’d have to coordinate with campus policy).
I’m mainly worried about being assaulted, as I wouldn’t be so stupid as to pull a weapon during a robbery. So, assault, intimidation, etc. Also, it’s a peace-of-mind thing. If campus security is right there, I wouldn’t be worried, but that’s not always going to be the case when I’m not in the main campus region.
I hate to say this but you sound very paranoid. You want to lock up all your belongings because you are afraid of theft.
Now you want to bring some kind of self defense weapon with you to college?
Do you plan to carry your billy club around with you all the time?
Have you been to any college campuses? Have you seen anyone carrying any kind of weapon openly?
Why are you so sure you are going to be the victim of some wrong act?
My suggestion…get yourself some counseling. This is not usual thinking for a college bound student.
@VinceLestrade My first question…how old are you?
When will you be starting college?
Mwfan1921 + roycroftmom — Yeah, I didn’t really want to contact campus security, as I don’t want to be labeled as suspect. I don’t want to make it a big deal, as it is really just a little peace-of-mind measure.
If you are THAT concerned about an inner city college…why are you attending one? There are tons of colleges in small towns or suburban areas.
thumper1 — I definitely understand what you’re saying. I tend to manifest many of my anxieties into concerns. I understand that theft is really unlikely, and by no means should security be the number-one concern of a student.
I want to clarify that I don’t plan to open-carry anything on-campus, nor do I plan to make any of my security measure public (the safe, for instance, would ideally just go under my bed, and any means of self-defense would be pocketed and never withdrawn).
Also, my postings on this forum are not indicative of all my thoughts regarding upcoming college experiences. I plan a lot regarding aspects of a less paranoid nature, such as what classes I’m going to take, where I’m going to live, etc. I just exclusively use this forum to discuss concerns I have, so my discussions here generally concern more negative subject matter.
Regarding counseling, I think that’s always a positive step, especially for particularly anxious people such as myself. I do not suffer from any extreme states of mental dysphoria or delusion, I assure you, but I am stressed.
I don’t believe this is a serious post. You ask and answer your question in the first two sentences. What is prohibited on campus? Look into the policies.
Brass knuckles? What is this, Goodfellas? :lol:
GKUnion — I am an adult.
thumper1 — I have lived near or in a large city for the entirety of my life. There are many positive aspects of the city, but there are also inherent dangers. I have encountered issues of safety many times in the city, and I have been fortunate enough to have resolved such issues nonviolently.
I have applied to urban, rural and suburban colleges. So it really depends on where I get accepted to, and the academic reputations of each college.
I have concerns about safety — I think everyone should at least be cognizant of the risk — but I want to stress that I do not intend to make this a huge ordeal. I am just talking about carrying a little bit of pepper spray, and only if it does not violate campus policy. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with people aiming to protect themselves, and I do not intend to ever do anything irresponsible or in violation of policy.
sushiritto — I was actually wondering what “dangerous weapons” meant in practical terms. For instance, do non-life-threatening weapons and safety devices qualify as “dangerous weapons,” or is this classification exclusive to long knives and guns, neither of which I’d be willing to bring to college, I assure you.
The brass knuckles thing is a bit hyperbolic, I must admit. It’s just one of a series of examples. Primarily, I’m just looking for a non-lethal, pocket-sized, discreet device I can carry when on the streets for my own safety and peace-of-mind. Again, no big deal, but I do want to ensure that I’m not violating campus policies.
thumper1 — I will be starting college this fall. Right now, I’m waiting for college responses, so I’m particularly stressed about that.
You are an adult? How old? An 18 year old high school student? Or a 30 year old non-traditional upcoming college student?
If you want to carry something small for your safety, find out what is legal. I would suggest putting a whistle on your person. It can make a lot of noise, draw a lot of attention, and isn’t violent.