The college years are often considered incredibly fun and exciting. While the party scene can be intriguing, there are certain precautions students should take to ensure safety. Many universities are implementing protocols — like mandatory drinking safety educational modules or student-run safe transportation options — to minimize dangers students are exposed to while going out at night. There is one thing, however, that students can practice that will reduce risks associated with going out: the buddy system.

When you type “college horror stories” into Google, you will find hundreds of thousands of stories involving sexual assault, mugging, murder, binge drinking fatalities, etc. Sadly, these things happen every single day on college campuses. The buddy system can help students avoid dangerous situations when going out. All students have to do is choose a friend to stick with throughout the night. The student and his/her buddy will just look out for each other throughout the night, thus avoiding the dangers of walking home alone or ending up with someone who does not have the best intentions. Students within a large friend group can each choose a buddy, thus relieving the stress of worrying about where everyone is while at a party.

Staying with a buddy means two brains instead of one. If you’re about to make a very poor decision, it’s pretty likely that your buddy will try to stop you. You and your buddy can decide the specifics of your system: how many drinks you will have, a code word to get out of a situation, how you will get home, etc. To some, the idea of an all night “buddy” may seem lame, but knowing someone you trust has your back allows you to relax and enjoy yourself.

Thanks to technology, there are more ways to practice the buddy system; all you have to do is download an app. The companion app was developed by students at the University of Michigan and gives one the option to be virtually walked home. The app can see when you begin your journey, your location, and even receive a notification when you arrive safely. On the user’s screen are two buttons: an “I feel nervous” button and a button that directly calls the police with one touch.

Another great app is Blip Me. The app shows a friend your location for a designated amount of time when you send him/her a “blip.”

With the ease of using an app, there’s no reason you should ever be walking without a buddy, real or virtual. These methods will help students steer clear of dangerous situations when going out at night!