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#Student safety

How to have a safer night out

If you’re planning to make the most of the nightlife at Leeds, it’s important to ensure you’re looking out for the safety of yourself and others.

From personal safety and responsible drinking to ensuring your house is secure at night, take a look at our simple tips for a safe night out, wherever you are.

Keeping yourself safe

  • Know your limits. It’s easy to get carried away or to feel peer-pressured into drinking beyond your tolerance. Understand your limit and stick to (or below) it.
  • Drink water. This one’s a biggie. We get it’s a bit annoying drinking water between other drinks, but it really will make all the difference to how you feel tomorrow, which is all-important when there’s so much going on! You can get tap water free in our venues. Failing that, drink a big glass or two before bed.
  • Stay in a group. There’s safety in numbers and you shouldn’t stray from the pack on a night out. If you’re walking home, do so in groups, and stick to well-lit and open routes. Avoid walking through Woodhouse Moor at night.
  • Read Drinkaware’s Freshers’ Week Survival Guide for loads of great tips for feeling good and staying safe this Freshers’.
  • Get a pre-booked taxi home. This is the safest way to head home after a night out, and you can use the Amber Cars Student Safe Taxi Scheme if you get stuck without cash for a cab. Read more here.

Securing your student house

Student houses are key targets for burglaries, thanks to the high chance of there being multiple laptops and other valuables in one house, as well as students thinking less about security. Here are a few tips to keep your student house and belongings safe and secure:

  • Really ensure that all windows and doors are locked. According to West Yorkshire Police, 50% of student burglaries are due to unlocked windows and doors.
  • Leave some lights on when you head out so it looks like someone’s home.
  • Don’t leave expensive items on view from windows.
  • Head out in separate groups with a bit of a gap so that onlookers don’t think the house has been left empty.
  • Set your alarm if you’ve got one.
  • Finally, take a look at West Yorkshire Police’s home security advice for more ideas. Many of the suggestions are more your landlord’s remit, but it’s worth having a look.

Uni nights out are great fun, and it’s easy to make sure they’re safe and secure too by following these simple tips. And if anything does go wrong, remember you can always contact our Help & Support team.