Recently a tragedy impacted our campus, the murder of Elizabeth Marriott. Marriott, 19, was a young lady here at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, NH. She was a Westborough High School Graduate and was studying Marine Biology. She was last seen on October 9, 2012 after leaving a class on the Durham campus. Her murder is still under investigation, with one suspect under arrest.
Elizabeth Marriott isn’t the only student who has gone missing off a college campus only to lead in tragedy, there are many more like her. Lauren Spierer, 20 years old when she went missing over in the spring of 2011, went missing at Indiana University. IT is understood that Lauren left Kilroy’s, a sports bar, the night of June 3, 2011, with friend Corey Rossman around 2:30 am. Though she went to her apartment building, she did not go home, and allegedly went to Rossman’s apartment. She was last seen leaving his apartment. Rossman has no recollection of his last moments with Lauren because of being punched during an altercation at the apartment complex.
Lauren Spierer’s case is still active, but her family and friends are left with many unanswered questions. Elizabeth Marriott’s case is developing as time goes on, but her body is still missing. These two aren’t the only ones either, there are lots of situations that happen on college campuses every weekend.
One of the best things you can do when something so terrible happens in your community is to try and turn it into a positive. The only way I can think to do that in this current situation at my university, one that doesn’t seem to have many positives, is to reinforce ways to stay safe on a college campus in hopes that these guidelines can help prevent a future tragedy.
College campuses are home to thousands of und
ergrads. They are home to students roaming from class to class surviving all nighters on coffee binges and waiting desperately for the weekend. But, campus can be a dangerous place for the unsuspecting. Make sure that you follow these guidelines to stay safe on campus.
1) Make sure the door to your residence hall is locked at all times
2) Don’t let anyone into your hall that you don’t know
3) Make sure you keep your room door locked at all times
4) Be careful with your keys
5) Keep your windows locked
6) Never go anywhere alone at night
7) Use the escort service on campus if you have a late night class
8) Make sure someone knows where you are at all times
9) Always be alert, keep you head up and know your surroundings
10) Stay in areas with a lot of people, crime is less likely committed with that many witnesses.
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