Most would say Chapel Hill is a safe campus. Granted, we have attacks every once in awhile, but what campus doesn’t? My friends and I have complained repeatedly about the crack-heads wandering Franklin at all hours, but the police are always nearby.

Tonight was an interesting night.

I left Goodfella’s at 12:15am because I felt tired and wanted to get home. Jenni had parked her car at my apartment so I could have waited until she wanted to leave so we could walk together. But she was having fun and doing the karaoke thing. It wouldn’t be fair to her for me to stop that. So I left.

Now keep in mind, I have started taking a Self-Defense class. This class has made me more aware of my surroundings…or more paranoid. I haven’t figured that part out yet. But I do look at situations differently. That’s for sure.

Franklin Street has these random alley ways that take you to parking decks and underground restaurants. They are not fun once it gets dark, and I knew to walk quickly past them. As I walked by, a large man, who was as wide as he was tall, stepped toward me saying “What’s a pretty girl like you doing out all alone?” Just then two men walked toward me and said “Yeah, it’s a shame.” The men left me about a foot of space to walk through them. It was not a fun moment, but from what I learned in class, you should walk with confidence and a purpose. So I did and laughed, and they didn’t say another word.

Of course you get your occasional crack-head asking for a favor or if they can ask a question. I just say “no, sorry” and keep walking. One woman would not get out of my way on the sidewalk so I had to side-step to get out of her way. This in turn put me in harm’s way of a moving vehicle. Once that was settled I sighed and practically screamed “Chapel Hill is so safe!”

Then came the short walk on Church Street, but it’s still long enough.

I saw a man on a bike turn into the Chancellor’s Square parking lot, the apartments next to my house. Little did I know he had actually turned into where the dumpster is so he could puke behind it. Just as I walked by he was scurring out towards me. My heart skipped a beat because this man was no student, or normal person for that matter. He was a skinny hairy man and I couldn’t understand what he said to me at all. Maybe “sorry?”

Anyways at that point I ran home. Just as I was about to get on my doorstep I heard what sounded like another person in the bushes. I inched forward and a cat came leaping out. I yelled at it. Told it to stop scaring me and go home.

I pushed open the door and screamed to Brie how Chapel Hill is so freakin sketchy.

Her only response? “Why did you walk home alone?”

UGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!