No matter if you’re a 260 lb solid football player or you’re 100 lb soaking wet, there are tips you should know about staying safe while in another area. No matter how high and mighty, no matter how many punks you beat up in high school, no matter how many times you beat up your older brother, staying safe isn’t about strength. Its about being aware.
Step One: Open your eyes
Listening to your iPod on blast walking around like you own the place will not keep you safe. Be aware of your surroundings. Keep only one headphone in or keep in low enough so if a friend were to sneak up behind you and play the “guess who” game, you aren’t jumping out of your skin.
Step Two: If the situation you’re in were a scene in a movie, what would the soundtrack be like?
This trick will not only keep you safe, but its fun. When you are biking on the side of a windy street with cars rushing past and you don’t have a helmet on (something I did yesterday that I DO NOT recommend), what kind of music would be playing if your life were a movie? I’m sure it would be more like this:
And less like this:
Step Three: Never get stranded. Always have a back-up plan.
I am all for doing day-to-day things spontaneously. If I weren’t I wouldn’t have taken a 45 mile bike ride yesterday from Seaside, CA down to Carmel Beach after telling my roommate “I’m going for a quick bike to the beach.” No matter where you go or what you do, always be sure you have a ride home. Is there a bus nearby? Do you have the number of a friend or two who you can call in an emergency stranded situation? This doesn’t just apply to spontaneous, but also to dating situations. A guy asking to pick you up may seem chivalrous but also remember this person now knows where you live and knows you will rely on them for a ride home. Always have a back-up ride.
Your twenties are a time to go out, have fun, and explore life. Just know how to get back home safe and sound in one piece.