Last Monday, three people were shot and injured at a bus stop in Exposition Park, just across the street from USC. The university and its surrounding area naturally come with all the dangers of being in a big city. Here’s how Trojans are keeping themselves safe.
“One thing that I like to do, and I encourage my friends and family to do too, is share my location with my friends, and I let them know where I’m going if I’m going somewhere,” said sophomore Sophia Magner. “I don’t walk alone. If I’m leaving somewhere late at night, like from a party or whatever, I won’t go by myself. I’ll go with a friend.”
Other Trojans emphasized being aware of their surroundings. USC freshman Jack Benson thinks something as little as not having headphones in can go a long way.
“I see a lot of people walking with both headphones on, and I feel like it might be good, especially when outside the campus gates, to just put one ear off just to make sure you’re more aware of what’s going on,” Benson said.
Other students feel safe in South Central as long as they take these necessary precautions.
“I do feel safe. I know that there have been some security alerts and safety concerns, but I find that my commute from the bus stop to USC I’ve never had any issues,” said master’s student Michelle Laurendine. “There are homeless [people] sleeping underneath the overpass, but again, they’ve never caused me any trouble. They don’t even talk to me. I’ve never encountered any problems.”
Laurendine said living off campus has not affected her sense of safety, and she is satisfied with USC’s safety measures.
“I actually really appreciate USC’s security system. I know that the yellow jackets provide a good countermeasure to make sure that the students are safe on campus,” Laurendine said.
Other students believe there’s room for improvement, especially when it comes to educating students about safe practices on campus. First-year law student Reem Chamas shared some tips for Trojans to keep themselves safe.
“Most importantly, if you feel like you are unsafe, don’t try to talk yourself out of that feeling. Definitely contact USC campus safety. Their app is pretty convenient. I would make sure to have that on you at all times. Also, try to let people know where you’re going, especially if you’re going out at night,” Chamas said.
Magner agreed that USC has more work to do when it comes to educating students on being safe.
“I think that kind of coming in and doing continual education about how to remain street smart and stuff at night without taking extreme measures, like locking up the campus and doing stuff like that,” Magner said. “I think allowing students to have the freedom of being in college, but also kind of just letting them know that there are risks to doing certain behaviors, and I think that allows students to kind of make their own decisions about being safe.”
Overall, Trojans feel safe within the gates of USC. However, the minute most students leave campus, they make sure to be alert and aware of their surroundings. The most important thing is to keep yourself safe. If you see something, say something.