It’s important to enjoy your time at university, and part of the experience of being away from home is making sure you keep yourself safe.
Although Newcastle is a very safe place to live, work and study, there are things you can do which will give you extra peace of mind.
SafeZone app
Download Northumbria University’s SafeZone app to your phone, which connects directly to the University’s security team. You can call for emergency assistance, check in to buildings if you’re on campus late at night, or connect to campus services directly through the app.
Staying safe in your accommodation
Don’t forget to lock doors and windows in your accommodation. If you’re sharing, make sure you have house rules to agree who can come and / or stay.
And be careful about letting people into your accommodation who you don’t know.
Your neighbours can help keep an eye on things so make sure you get to know them.
It’s also important to be aware of fire risks. Switch off electrical appliances such as irons, hair straighteners and heaters when you’re not using them and don’t leave candles unattended or burning when you go to sleep.
Personal safety
Lots of the situations and places you encounter when you come to university will be new to you.
You’ll need to assess the risks and make your own decisions around which ones you are prepared to take. Don’t feel pressured into doing anything you’re unsure about.
Avoid walking around late at night on your own and only take licenced taxis. Think carefully about how well you know people and who you can trust.
Additional support
During lockdown, our staff were on hand to help keep everyone safe and our accommodation team ran virtual events and activities to help students meet others. We also offered an online concierge system to provide food boxes to students who were self-isolating.
Piper Dobbie has just completed a Foundation Year at Northumbria University in Humanities. She moved to Newcastle from Sheffield and found the support provided by Northumbria University to be invaluable.
Piper said: “I moved to Glenamara, my accommodation, just before Freshers’ Week started. Some activities were socially distanced on site, but the Students’ Union did a great job of hosting lots of online events. For the first few weeks, it was hard getting used to things, but it also gave me my independence.
“I’ve had lots of support from Northumbria. The university kept in touch to see how I was doing and sent regular emails with mental health support. My personal tutor checked in regularly with me and the seminar tutors have been great too. As someone who was worried about the pandemic, it was reassuring to know that the university was there for me.”
