Staying Safe on Campus

June 21, 2023

We want you to have the best time here at Exeter, and part of that includes staying safe when coming home from nights out, keeping your valuables and rooms safe and locked, and where you can get extra help and support if you need it.  

Exeter is a very safe place to be, but we still want you to be aware of your surroundings and fully enjoy your time here.  

Keeping your belongings safe

We’ve all experienced that feeling when you’ve lost your phone or your laptop, it’s like a part of you is missing too! Always lock your doors when leaving your room and don’t leave your belongings unattended on campus either. If you’re living off campus, be sure to keep ground floor doors and windows locked when you’re away.  

Getting home safely at night

Exeter is a friendly city with plenty of bars and clubs open until 3am. To make sure you get home safely, we recommend:  

  • Walking home with friends and sticking to well-lit routes.  
  • Get a taxi or public transport – the Uni now has a night bus running until 4am on certain nights – you can check the timetable on the Stagecoach app.  
  • We’ve got some more tips for your nights out below.  

Estate Patrol

The University’s security team, Estate Patrol are on campus 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They can help you with anything from being locked out of your room, to dealing with noisy neighbours.  

The team are also first aid trained, and mental health first aid trained so can be on hand to help you and/or your friends when you need support.  

Find the number to call them on the back of your UniCard.

Speak Out

The University of Exeter is an inclusive community, where everyone has the right to be treated with respect. Harassment, bullying, intimidation and discrimination go against all we stand for. If you’ve experienced or witnessed this kind of behaviour, please report it through the Speak Out initiative, where you can also get the support you might need. www.exeter.ac.uk/about/speakout  

Tips for your nights out

Make sure your nights out are memorable for the right reasons! Here are some of our tips to make sure your nights out go smoothly:

  • Set up a group chat before you head out – this is a great way to keep everyone in the loop about where you are throughout the night (and to share photos!)
  • Walk home with friends or get public transport – try to avoid walking home alone, and when you are walking, stick to the better lit, main routes from the city to where you live.
  • Be aware of drink and needle spiking – over the past year incidences of drink and needle spiking have occurred across the UK. You can get spikeys to protect your drink whilst your out, and remember to never leave your drink unattended, or accept a drink from someone you don’t know.
  • Estate Patrol are here to help – if you need some help getting home, or you’ve locked yourself out, Estate Patrol can help! You can call them 24 hours a day.
  • Make sure your phone has enough battery to last the night! - it might sound simple, but ensure you don’t run out of battery or keep a power pack on you just in case.