You could be walking to your car in a parking lot, waiting at a red light, or relaxing at home when the unthinkable happens, but will you be ready?

Odds are, on a daily basis most of us don’t think bad things will ever happen in Madison, Alabama. Sadly, the world we live in isn’t as safe as it used to be, so we need to be prepared to defend ourselves.

Sophomore Claire O’Neil said, “I think everyone should learn [self-defense] just because of this day and age.”

CNN said in their article “Violent crime rising in US cities, study finds” that just last year, the crime rate shot up more than ever.

More studies are showing it isn’t a matter of if you will be attacked, but when.

Here are some basic tips that can help you be able to react with a level head and get out of risky situations:

1. Always be aware of your surroundings and the people around you. This may seem obvious, but observing your surroundings can prevent you from getting in bad situations in the first place. Office Kyker said, “Awareness is not being paranoid, but really paying attention.” Walking while playing with your phone, going through your purse, or just being distracted can make you an easier target.
2. Go with your gut feeling. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t ignore your feelings; get yourself out of a possibly risky situation.
3. Have a plan. It may not seem like a big deal, but things as simple as knowing your emergency exit locations and knowing how you will react to different situations can help you be prepared for anything.
4. Be street smart. Your mind is your greatest weapon, use it to your advantage. If you are home alone and someone comes to the door make sure they don’t know you are alone.
5. Be loud. If you feel threatened by someone, be loud and draw attention to yourself. An attacker would not want attention to be drawn to them and are more likely to leave you alone.
6. Learn some basic self-defense moves. There are many different ways you can further your knowledge of self-defense, from looking up stuff online to taking a self-defense class. Recently, Bob Jones has added Girl’s Self-Defense Training as a new Patriot Path. In the past Young advocates for equality have hosted some self-defense sessions and plan to do another one in the future. You can also look into Karate or Taekwondo. There’s even a Taekwondo club that meets after school on Fridays in the downstairs common area.

Overall there are many ways you can prepare yourself, so if you ever get in a bad situation, you can keep a level head and do what you got to do.