When a Text Message Can Improve Your Safety

Here comes another important tip from the Personal Defense Network. When it comes to personal safety, technology can be both a blessing and a curse. Now, there's a lot of discussion about how our dependence on technology is a negative thing for personal safety, and in many cases, I have to agree that it can be if it's not monitored properly. But there are certain circumstances where technology can be a huge asset. Our communication process through the years has changed substantially.

Now, it used to be if you wanted to get a message to somebody, well, you had to write a long letter and you had to give it to somebody on a horse and it would take forever to get to its destination. But of course in more modern times, we can send a text or we can send a Tweet and it's there in less than a second. Now, it's also what I would consider to be called one-sided communication, which means it really doesn't matter if the person actually responds back. Sometimes I'll get texts and I don't respond back, and sometimes I'll send them and I don't hear from the other party. Now, an upside to the one-sided communication is that it provides a great opportunity for any individual to quickly let somebody know where they're going, who they're gonna be with, and what time they might be expected back.

Now obviously, nobody's gonna be that interested in texting somebody about their every move, and I don't think your friends or family are gonna be that interested in hearing about your every move, but I do encourage my young students and those that I work with to look for opportunities and look for moments when sending a text would really be to their benefit. Now, here are three situations that you might find yourself in that you really should take a moment, send a quick text, let somebody know what's going on. Number one is when you're going to do something completely out of your daily routine. I am a huge coffee drinker, and I'll tell you, if I discover at midnight that there is no half and half in the refrigerator, I'm gonna get in my car and I'm gonna go to the store and I'm gonna get some half and half, because I refuse to get up in the morning and not have coffee that tastes good. If I do that, if I head out at midnight to go to a store, I'm gonna send somebody a message and just say, "Hey, it's ridiculous.

"I don't have half and half. "I'm gonna run to the store." That might seem silly and it might seem like I'm just venting, but the truth is, I'm actually setting, you know, letting someone know, this is where I'm going. And when I get back, I'm gonna send 'em a text and say, "Oh, that was horrible that I had to go out that late, but they're gonna know that I'm home safe. The second situation that someone might find themselves in where they should send a text or a Tweet, you know, again, letting people know where they're gonna be, is when they're heading out with someone that they're not familiar with. Now, it's very easy for me to sit here and say that you shouldn't be with someone that you're not familiar with, but the truth is, especially on college campuses and with young folks, even some adults, that you're going to find yourself in situations where you do have to go with somebody somewhere, or you just may choose to.

In a case like that, send a quick text to somebody letting them know what your destination is. Let them know who you're with, first and last name, and definitely let them know that you will text them upon your return. The third situation where it can be incredibly helpful to send a text before you leave to let somebody know where you're gonna be is if you happen to be heading out by yourself. It could be a social setting, but it could also be as something as innocent as going for a run or going for a bike ride. Remember that it's not always about the bad guy jumping out of the bushes and grabbing you and hauling you away.

It could be that maybe while you're out, you just become injured, or maybe you feel ill and you need help. If nobody knows where to look for you, again, it's gonna take a very long time for somebody to get to you. Whenever you're out alone, if you do need help for whatever reason, time is of the essence, and the quicker that somebody can identify that A, you're not back on time, and B, can retrace your steps, the better chance you're gonna have of receiving that help in a time that is gonna keep you safe and maybe keep you alive. Be sure to check out the Personal Defense Network for more important tips, just like that one.