Whether it be heading home from a late night class or in the grocery store parking lot in broad daylight - self defense is a skill that every person should know no matter the situation. Your age, gender, race, or any other factor may put you at a predisposition to be a target. I was lucky enough to be trained at my high school, Neuqua Valley, for the past two years in gym class. I am grateful that I was able to learn and practice skills to make myself more prepared if I encountered an attack. Learning self defense, in my opinion, is the greatest tool you can give yourself for life.

1. Know what your goal is

Self defense is exactly what it sounds like, you are protecting yourself from someone trying to cause harm to you. Self defense is not made for attacking or fighting. Your #1 goal in self defense is to get away as soon as possible with as little damage to yourself as possible.

2. Know your 4 levels of awareness

Your first level is becoming aware of your surroundings. Put your phone away while walking. Yes, Pokemon Go is exciting, but being distracted and unaware makes you an immediate target. Take note of the people around you. Have they been following you too close or for too long? Your second level is knowing privacy. Do not post on social media about being away from your home. Some things are best kept to yourself. Your third level is attracting attention. This is the point where you are being attacked for your belongings or even yourself. Your goal is to get as many people to notice the situation you are in. Your fourth level is physical fighting. You want to avoid this at all costs. This is the point where you are fighting to save your life. Remember, your goal is to get away as soon as possible.

3. Know what to yell

Yelling words like "Help", "Fire", and "No" are the best ways to attract attention. The louder you are, the better chances someone hears you and takes action.

4. Know when to strike

Self defense is a skill to be taken seriously. You do not want to be playing around with different strikes that may cause serious damage. Know when it is appropriate to use.

5. Know the 3 strongest tools on your body

Your palm heel of your hand is one of the strongest points on your body. This bone has enough force in it to cause serious and potentially lethal damage to a human. Also, this strike takes less energy to execute compared to a fist punch, so you can keep fighting for longer. Check this move out at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHE-QGRTN0M demonstrated by Safety and Self-Defense Instructor Alain Burrese. Your other effective fighting tools are the back side of your below (not your actual below), and right above your knee.

6. Know where to aim

Areas to aim for when defending yourself are the temples, eyes, ears, nose, throat, solar plexus, and the groin. All of these areas, as you can imagine, can be extremely painful when hit correctly.

7. Know your vehicle safety

Park your car in open, well lit areas where lots of people are. The first thing you should do when returning to your car is have the keys ready. While walking to your vehicle, check the area. Look to see if anyone is hiding around or even under your car. Keep watch of the area around you personally, too. Next, if safe, get in the car and immediately lock the doors. Sitting for a couple minutes in your car with the doors unlocked makes you an extremely easy target.

8. Know your general safety

Always travel in pairs. If you can not find someone to go with, tell someone where you are going and when you should be back. Having someone aware of your whereabouts is like insurance if anything were to happen to you. Protective Strategies has an extensive list of overall safety tips if you would like to learn more about general safety.

9. Know your cell phone is a tool

PC World made a list of 5 safety apps that watch over you for different activities and different lengths of time, but all of them have ways to reach your emergency contacts or the police if necessary.

10. Know the Blue Lights

Many college campuses have installed Emergency Blue Light call boxes. This system uses exact GPS location when a call is made to police or campus safety to help find you quickly. "Police officials say their visibility and reliability enhance campus safety. 'They’re a reliable form of communication, and we all know that cell phones don’t always work,' UNCG Police Maj." States Greensboro.com.

"Ultimate victory is in avoiding the fight." - Sun Tzu