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6 Tips for Safe Dating in College

Written by CB Community

Dating can be a lot of fun for young people, particularly during your college years.

When you’re a student, you’re surrounded with people your own age and when it comes to opportunities for meeting new people, dating, and even finding the love of your life, you definitely have more than most.

But, dating in college is not often as carefree as it once was; there are many valid concerns that students have for their safety when dating.

When you’re at college, you’re exposed to a wider range of people – many of whom are strangers.

While the good news is that most of the time college students are great people like yourself, there’s always the chance that they might not have your best interests in mind.

Here are some top tips for staying safe when dating at college:

Find Out About Your Date

Of course, you want to learn more about your date by asking them questions and talking to them a lot. Getting to know somebody is a natural part of the first stage of any relationship.

But, are they telling you the whole truth?

Whether you’ve met somebody in your lecture or on an online dating app, you can’t always be sure that they actually are who they say they are.

For your peace of mind, you might find it useful to do some research on them before taking your relationship any further.

Thanks to the internet and the Freedom of Information Act, you can now find out a lot about your date’s past using Public Records Reviews, including whether or not they have any past criminal convictions.

Companies, such as Public Records Reviews, allow you to simply type in their name and any other information that you hold on them.

Chances are, you won’t find anything untoward but if you do, it could save you from a potentially dangerous situation.

Inform Somebody You Trust

Whether you’re meeting up in person with somebody you have been talking with on a dating app, going on a blind date set up by a roommate or friend, or are going on a first date with somebody from your class, the best thing to do is tell somebody that you know and trust.

Don’t keep it to yourself; make sure that you let a friend know where you are going, who you are going with, and how long you expect the date to last.

Try Double Dating

If you are planning a first date with somebody that you have never met in real life or don’t really know that well, then it might be a good idea to try double dating for the first couple of times until you’ve gotten to know them better and trust them.

Double dates can be a lot of fun while you’re in college and it could be a good way for you and a friend to stay safer as you both meet up with your dates for the first time, or you could ask an established couple who you know to accompany you.

Choose a Public Place

If you are chatting with somebody that you have met while online dating or briefly met in class and they are persistent about you meeting them for a first date in a private place, that’s a huge red flag that you shouldn’t ignore.

When you’re meeting up with somebody you don’t know very well, going on a date in a public place where there are likely to be lots of people is much safer than going somewhere private.

Being in public means that you’ll have lots of people around who you can ask for help if something happens that you weren’t expecting.

It’s a good idea to do this until you feel comfortable enough around somebody and trust them enough to take your dates private; don’t feel pressured to do this until you are ready.

Avoid Drinking

Going to a first date at a bar is always a popular idea, but avoiding alcohol is important when you are meeting up with somebody for the first time, especially if you struggle to stop drinking once you’ve started.

Getting drunk can lower your inhibitions, leaving you more vulnerable to risks that you might not be aware of, and even cause you to pass out and put you in real danger if your date doesn’t turn out to be the charming gentleman you thought they were.

Be Vigilant

Finally, always be vigilant and alert while on your date.

While you want to have fun, you also need to bear in mind that you don’t know this person very well yet, so you don’t have to let your guard down straight away

It’s especially important to watch any drinks that you have as it’s unfortunately all too common for drugs to be slipped into drinks without the victim’s knowledge.

Dating in college can be a huge amount of fun, but it’s important to stay safe and alert.

About the author

CB Community

Passionate members of the College Basics community that include students, essay writers, consultants and beyond. Please note, while community content has passed our editorial guidelines, we do not endorse any product or service contained in these articles which may also include links for which College Basics is compensated.