Staying safe in the city
By: Vincent Tran
Published on: January 15th, 2024
Coming to Canada can be a very exciting and monumental time in your life. This country has many things for you to explore. Canada has a great balance between beautiful and scenic nature and vibrant cities.
Canadian cities are full of life and are a melting pot of many different cultures and backgrounds from all over the world. There’s a lot to be discovered in Canadian cities and it can be fun to seek out the many things that cities have to offer, but it’s also important to remember your own safety.
Canadians are generally very nice and the people in cities are usually always willing to help you, however, like with any city in the world, there are some situations or people that may look to cause you danger.
That’s why it’s so important to always look after your own and your loved ones’ safety when going through cities in Canada. So here are a few tips that may help you stay safe when you’re in the city.
Do your research
If you ever want to go out and explore the city, it’s best to research some places you want to see beforehand, as it’s important to know how to get to your destination, but also to know what else is around there.
While it can be fun to just explore someplace without knowing anything beforehand, it’s also important to know certain places that you might want to avoid if you can to prevent an incident from occurring.
You could plan out a route for yourself and see what streets or sections of the city you want to explore or know more about. Planning beforehand or setting a schedule for yourself can help you feel more at ease as you have a general idea of the things you might be seeing at that moment.
It’s always good to go into something prepared, whether that be going into the city or life in general, because it will help you prepare mentally for what you’re getting into and will help you think about what to do in certain situations or scenarios.
Remember your surroundings
As you’re exploring, try your best to remember your surroundings and always look around to check what’s happening around you, as it could be very helpful.
Try to remember street names if you can. If street names are too difficult try to remember the stores or buildings that are around you, this way you are more familiar with your location and surroundings.
This can help you not get lost or wander off to someplace where you’re uncomfortable. If you ever find yourself feeling uneasy going into a certain part of the city, then just circle back to a place you have previously passed or try and trace your steps back to somewhere you feel more comfortable.
Another thing to consider when remembering your surroundings is to also routinely check what’s around you so you can identify potential threats or things that you may want to avoid for your own safety.
It’s great to enjoy yourself and just live in the moment, but it’s also equally important to always be mindful of what’s happening around you, so you can always plan ahead in case of an emergency.
Travel or keep in contact with others
If you’re able to, try your best to travel or walk around with at least one other person. Walking with another person or a few of your friends will not only make you feel less isolated and lonely, it will also make you feel more socially active and improve your health.
Going into the city by yourself can feel daunting, so it’s always great to have someone there, as it will liven the experience and will make you feel safer.
However, if you don’t have anyone to travel around with, you could always try and keep in contact with others as well.
If you start to feel uncomfortable walking around in certain areas, try to keep your phone ready to contact others if needed. You might want to call a close friend or family member and talk to them while you’re in these areas, just so you feel like you have someone there with you.
Even if that person isn’t physically there, just talking to them can make you feel more at ease and help you feel more relaxed.
Don’t stay in secluded areas
This may seem like a given, but sometimes we forget about this simple tip, especially when we’re travelling alone.
Try not to be in quiet areas with nobody around. It’s okay if you want to explore a less populated area, but make sure you do so carefully. Generally, if you’re in a place with a few people there, it could help you feel safer and also help you call out to them if you ever feel in danger of somebody or something.
Sometimes heavily populated or dense areas can make you feel more anxious, so if that’s the case for you, try to avoid those places, but always make sure that if you’re in the city that you’re in a place where there are a few people around that could help you if needed.
Being in an isolated or quiet area will make you more vulnerable to potential threats from other people or things, so even just having a few people in sight or around you can make you feel more comfortable, even if you aren’t going to be interacting with them.