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Crime time: a look into shady Lowell

Alex Sponseller
UML Student

A very relevant discussion at UMass Lowell is the safety on campus and the surrounding areas. Recently there have been multiple incidents involving UMass Lowell students and the level of concern is rising. Though UMass Lowell is located in some shady areas, it is surprising that students continue to be involved in these incidents considering the wonderful gift of common sense we are all usually granted.

A similarity in many of these incidents is that the victims are alone. Luckily, there is a simple solution we have all been taught numerous times, and it is called the “buddy system.” Though the “buddy system,” may give people a sense of inadequacy for not being able to hold their own in a duel of fists, people should abide by this system.

Next, why do students still attempt to walk around Lowell after dark? The UMass shuttles are slow, dirty, and crammed with flu-ridden students, but the risk of catching a minor bacterial infection is usually a more flattering risk than being attacked or losing hundreds of dollars. If students choose to be nocturnal, they should quit walking the streets of Lowell at night and stay with the smokers failing to be 25 feet away from their building.

One last piece of knowledge that every student has and ignores is the fact that the louder your iPod is playing, the less likely you will hear someone approaching you. Multiple incidents have involved a student failing to hear the mugger approaching them. To the person listening to Blurred Lines in the elevator, do us all a favor and turn it down, Summer 2013 is over, and so is your obliviousness.

Crime is something that unfortunately occurs everywhere around us. From the screwdriver attack of 2011 to the tailgate gone bad in 2012, Lowell is filled with shady characters that UMass students are aware of, so instead of ignoring the obvious precautions, take them, and use your common sense.