Going out-out? Here’s how to celebrate safely

Whether it’s a trip to Old Bar, a night out in town or a quiet one at your mate’s — however you choose to celebrate, here’s some tips so you and your mates can stay safe while having a great night.

5 good habits to stick to when you’re out

Some of this might be common sense, but it never hurts to have a reminder of basic good habits to stick to for a great night out.

• Remember to take your fully charged phone out with you, as well as some money (cash or card) in case of emergency.
• Where possible, plan your routes beforehand so you’re familiar with where you’re going and how to get back home.
• If you’re walking somewhere, stick to well-lit, public areas where you can be seen at night.
• Try to stick with your friends and people you trust while you’re out. Keep reading below to know who’s around to help if you ever need it.
• Let people know where you are or where you’re going. You can use the free personal safety app — WalkSafe — to help you stay safe while travelling around the city, including letting friends know your route and estimated arrival time, alerting them if you don’t arrive on time, as well as other useful features.

Don’t let drink or drugs ruin your night

Nothing ruins a great night more than missing out. If you’ve ever overdone it on the alcohol and woken up regretting it, check out our four tips to banish the booze blues.

The only way to avoid harm from drugs is to go without. But if you do choose to take drugs, have a read through our advice to be safer, get a free testing kit, and find free confidential advice and help.

Get home safely

We can help you get home safely, whether you’re on campus or elsewhere in the city:

• Night Bus — you can catch the Night Bus during term time from the ground floor of the LUU building. It runs to homes within the Leeds Outer Ring Road — including areas like Headingley, Holbeck, and even Stanningley — and you can track the bus on the SafeZone app.
• Leeds buses — there are lots of bus routes in and around Leeds that only cost around £1.50-£2.00 for a journey (don’t forget to show your student ID to get a discount!). Check out our step-by-step guide on how to brave the bus in Leeds.
• Student safety taxi scheme — LUU have a partnership with local taxi firm, Veezu (previously Amber Cars), which means that if you find yourself stuck without a way home at night, you can contact them, and they will take you home even if you don’t have any money.

Know who’s around to help

The University’s security service: On campus and need help? SafeZone is a safety app that’s linked to the University’s security service, who are on call to help you 24/7. The app enables you to contact security at the press of a button. As well as downloading the SafeZone app, you can also visit the security service in-person or contact them by phone, email or WhatsApp video call.

Ask for Angela: If you ever feel uncomfortable or unsafe when out in the city centre, you can Ask for Angela at participating venues to get discreet help. Use the map function on the WalkSafe app to find where Ask for Angela venues are located around the city.

Harassment and misconduct support: You are not alone. If you’ve ever experienced any kind of violence, abuse, bullying, harassment, sexual misconduct or discrimination, including drink or needle spiking, the Harassment and Misconduct team are here to help, however you feel most comfortable.