Every fall, roughly twenty million students will enroll in college courses. Each of these students will experience one of the most existing and magical periods of their lives. They'll officially be independent adults, forge undying friendships, create lifelong memories, and take the first steps toward their professional careers.

There's no way to overstate the tremendous influence the college years will have over the rest of their lives.

If you're about to begin these special times in your life, your mind is probably racing. You'll be thinking about a lot, so it will be easy to forget certain things - even essential things like protecting your valuables. You'll have responsibility over far more than your wallet, credit card, and cell phone.

Being in college means that your parents no longer protect your belongings. It's your responsibility now. Using a safe is an excellent place to start, but it's not the only security measure you should consider.

A college campus can be a lot of fun. You're going to meet countless new and interesting people. While some of them might become your lifelong friends, romantic partners, or even spouses, remember that most of them are strangers.

You'll be surrounded by unfamiliar people on campus and in your dorm - even inside your room. In 2019, there were roughly 18.7 crimes reported per every 10,000 full-time college students. You need to keep your college dorm room safe.

Roughly 55% of these crimes are constitutional burglaries, motor vehicle thefts, aggravated assaults, and robberies. The most effective way to avoid becoming a statistic is to take your campus safety seriously by taking the following actions and safety tips to heart:

1. Use a Drawer Safe

The first action you'll need to take is installing a safe where you can store all your valuables.

You won't be the only person with a key to your dorm room, so even if you're 100% careful, you're still at risk for a burglary. That's assuming the culprit is an outsider, not a roommate with eyes for your valuables.

Using a safe is the best way to prevent theft from any party. The problem with bringing a safe to your dorm room is limited available space. Anyone that's ever lived in a dorm will tell you that it's the human equivalent of living in a fish bowl. Fortunately, plenty of safe options can meet your needs even in a tight space.

Not every dorm room is set up the same, so you might not have many options for placing your safe. However, it's practically a guarantee that there is either a desk or dresser that has drawers in it.

Using a drawer safe is the perfect way to keep your things out of plain sight. You can store your safe while hiding it from view within a small space. You'll need to be selective with what you store inside, but there should be enough room to stash your valuable items. If your roommate forgets to lock the dorm room door, your things will be tucked away in your own personal safe.

2. Install Dorm Security Cameras

Using a safe to store your valuables is an excellent first step to protecting them, but it will only do so much. There is no way you can fit everything inside your safe, and it would be wildly impractical if you did every time you left.

It will be challenging to figure out which stuff you'll leave vulnerable outside your safe. However, you could install a dorm security camera for extra security and literally watch over all of it instead.

There are plenty of options for wireless motion-activated surveillance cameras that can keep your dorm secure when you're away. These cameras operate the same as the kind of security system people use on their homes and door locks.

You might have to check with the dorm or university first, as dorm policies can sometimes be very strict about room modifications. If that's the case in your dorm, there are other options at your disposal that can help protect your belongings and improve your dorm safety.

3. Lock Your Doors and Windows

Not every security option will require you to buy and install new technology. Simply making the extra effort to ensure that your doors and windows are locked can be a great crime deterrent.

It might not sound like very much, but experts agree it's one of the best ways to deter criminals and prevent theft in dorm and home security. Contrary to what you've seen in the movies, most crimes aren't thoroughly planned heists that take months to conceive.

Almost all criminals are trying to open a door and take advantage of an opportunity. If it's locked, they'll typically move on and try another door down the way. If it's unlocked, then they'll be likely to open the door and have a look around.

It can take a little time to get into the habit of remembering to lock everything. The easiest way is to follow a ritual every time you leave the dorm.

Stop yourself as soon as you step outside and go through a mental checklist of everything that needs to be locked before you leave. Setting up creative reminders on your phone might be a good idea as you're adjusting to the new routine.

4. Find a Trustworthy Roommate

You'll spend more time with your college roommate than probably anyone else in your life. Most of that time will be reserved for sleeping and studying, but you'll be around each other frequently.

It's important to try to build a strong relationship with your roommate off and on social media.

If you don't get along, it's best to move on and find another living situation as soon as possible. A trusted roommate can be essential to improving your college experience and keeping your belongings safe.

There is way too much going on in college to worry about your roommate while you're away.

5. Put Your Electronics in Your Safe at Night

Cash, credit, and debit cards will always be the number one focus during a burglary. You should always take extra care to protect these assets and expensive jewelry, textbooks, and clothing.

In addition, you should also remember to keep a close eye on your electronics. Laptops and smartphones are typically the most expensive items in a dorm room. Thieves aren't always interested in selling these items as they can use them as their own.

Fortunately, there are a few options for how you and the campus police can track down these items if they're ever stolen. However, it's much better to store them in your safe at night or when you leave the room and save yourself the trouble.

The Biocube In-Drawer: Why It's Our Favorite Dorm Safe

Shopping for a safe to store all your valuables in can be more challenging than you think. An online search will surely provide you with countless options for a safe. But most of these options won't provide you with the reliability and security you're looking for.

Do it right the first time. Save yourself a lot of time and potential disaster by opting for the best option available for a small space: the Biocube In-Drawer. The Biocube In-Drawer is the perfect option for a dorm safe for the following reasons:

Thick Reinforced Steel Walls

There are a lot of safes today that are made from aluminum alloy. The material is serviceable enough, but it's nowhere near the strength of reinforced steel.

Reinforced steel can not only take way more punishment, but it also provides much better protection against fire. The Biocube In-Drawer comes with ⅛-inch thick reinforced steel walls that can give you peace of mind unavailable with other materials.

Bolt Holes for Easy Installation

A safe doesn't do you much good if it's not installed at an anchor point. You must adequately secure your safe using a few bolts to lock it down. The installation will be much smoother when you don't have to drill into your new safe immediately.

The Biocube In-Drawer comes with four pre-drilled holes and a free mounting kit. You'll have everything you need to maximize the security of your safe.

Easy Biometric Access

Biometric locks are the future wave, and each Biocube In-Drawer comes with one. All that you have to do is register your fingerprint (and up to nine more) as an authorized user. Once you do, you just press your finger to the digital reader, and you'll have entry to your safe.

No combinations, passcodes, or keys that you can forget or have stolen. You'll have to replace four AA batteries every year for the most secure locking mechanism currently available.

Room for Multiple Laptops

The interior dimensions of a Biocube In-Drawer are 4.5 inches high by 15 inches wide by 10 inches deep. Additionally, the door has dual spring lifting arms that allow for the maximum amount of space possible inside.

In other words, you'll have plenty of room to store several laptops or a variety of other valuables. The soft interior bottom pad will prevent your laptops from being damaged. You'll even have an interior light to see inside the safe in the middle of the night.

Conclusion

The college experience is one of the most exciting times in life. You'll learn much more about the world and who you are as an individual. The last thing you want to do is sour that experience by dealing with the consequences of a burglary.

By following the five steps above, your dorm room and valuables will be as secure as possible. You can focus on the studies, friends, and the experiences that make college special.

Sources:

How To Track a Laptop after It's Been Stolen | Tech Advisor

What Burglars Do First When They Get Inside Your Home | kgw.com

How to Build a Good Relationship with Your College Roommate | campusSIMS

10 Key Tips to Get More From Apple Reminders on iPhone | MUO

Opportunity Makes the Thief: Practical Theory for Crime Prevention | Arizona State University

7 Sneaky Ways Burglars Can Break into Your House | Reader's Digest

You Don't Need a Camera to Have Dorm Room Security | Digital Trends

Top Five Best Dorm Room Security Cameras 2022 | College Dorm Essentials

You Suspect Your Roommate is Stealing from You | Chicago Tribune

Fast Facts: College crime | National Center for Education Statistics

The 10 Friends You'll Meet In College | Wagner University Hawk Talk

College Enrollment Statistics [2022]: Total + by Demographic | Education Data Initiative