Greetings class of 2018! We are students of the A-team club called S.A.V.E. (Students Against Violence Everywhere). It is our goal to prepare you and the entire Gannon University community with the knowledge and resources to prevent any and all forms of violence on our campus.
This goal of ours cannot be completed by one single club or one single student- it’s up to all of us here to make this an environment where we can feel safe and protected to learn and grow throughout these four-plus years we’re here.
As upperclassmen students, we understand how difficult this transition is for you moving from high school to college. No matter how much we try to “get involved” or dream of the infinite “possibilities” ahead, it’s scary to take that first step, whether it is to speak up in class or make a conversation with a student in your dorm. However, we applaud you for already taking the first step in the right direction. We are here to support you and offer any help when you need it along the way.
Passed down from last year’s graduating class, here are a few tid-bits of advice to:
“Give it your all – and S.A.V.E. you from any fall!”
1. Take your safety seriously: Be vigilant about this new environment you live in. Remember we are in a downtown setting and no one is immune to the dangers that come with it.
a. Program the campus/community safety phone numbers in your cell.
b. Learn the street names around campus.
2. Put yourself first: Whether it’s in relationships, choosing to stay or leave from a party or anything else when you feel pressured, do what’s best for you. Because in the end, you’re the one who has to live with the decision you make. SAVE the moment.
3. Party smart and know your limits: “Every moment you waste, there’s another right behind it to take its place.” You don’t have to go ALL-OUT immediately. Pace yourself; you have four or more years to enjoy being young. It’s OK to pass on a party if you don’t feel up for it.
4. Be yourself: Stay true to yourself. It takes a great deal of time and energy to impress others and maintain “the look,” while it’s much easier to be natural and relaxed.
5. Stay open minded: Look around, everyone’s in the same boat! Students from around the world are on this campus. You might be nervous and shaking in your boots, but so is everyone else even if they don’t show it. Reach out and say hello.
6. Try new things: You really have nothing to lose and everything to gain when it comes to trying new clubs and organizations. They will only help you broaden your interests and help narrow your focus on what it is you love to do.
7. Time management and prioritization: You’ve heard it before and we’ll say it again, save yourself the stress and plan ahead. Wake up earlier, use your daily planner, and try not to procrastinate by doing the project you dislike the most, first!
8. Talk to your professors early on: Don’t be afraid to approach a teacher after class or beforehand. They want to get to know you and most of all, they want to see you succeed long after you graduate.
9. Use the resources available to you: With so much thrown on you all at once, it’s easy to feel buried by the pressures of due dates. Get to a tutor or even a campus counselor to help ease your worries and get you back on track.
10. You’re your own responsibility: It’s awesome to be independent and out on your own isn’t it? Sure is! Act like an adult then. When going out for the night please keep control of yourself and don’t make someone have to babysit you because they’re afraid for your safety.
11. Hault the U-Haul: It’s not uncommon for new couples to move way too quickly in college, even to the point of literally moving in with each other. Try to slow down and take your time to see if that’s a good idea first.
**SAVE THESE DATES**
Sex Signals
7 p.m. or 9 p.m.
Wednesday
Zurn Room 104
Student Safety Expo
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Tuesday
Yehl Ballroom
