Written by Delaney Coleman.
During Halloween of 2024, an unfortunate mass shooting claimed the lives of two victims, one being Timothy Schmidt Jr., a 19-year-old University of Central Florida student.
As we continue to mourn the tragedy of the event and Timothy’s life, we approach this weekend with caution and hopefully more awareness.
For this year’s Hallo-weekend, I have cultivated some tips and tricks as a young college student who is still worried about last year’s disaster.
- Always travel as a group: There is power in numbers; if anything were to happen, having multiple friends to rely on.
- Location access: If you do go out by yourself, allow family and friends to know your location in case of emergencies.
- Keep your phone on: Charge your phone fully before leaving for a night out. Your phone is a lifeline in an emergency.
- Never ignore your gut feeling: Everyone has had a moment when their gut is screaming at them, saying “yes!!” or “no!!”. If something does not feel right, it is always okay to bail or ask to leave.
- Stay within the light: When walking back home or to your car, stay in the light and try walking in high-traffic areas
- Do NOT drink and drive: Determine a designated driver if you do plan to drink, you are responsible for your life and everyone’s around you when driving, so do it sober.
Lastly, keep an eye on everyone around you and be extra conscientious of your surroundings can only do you good as everyone enjoys Halloween.
