Spring break is coming up, so an organization at my school offered a free self defense class co-sponsored by the police department. I can say I definitely feel more prepared to ward off attackers.

My experience in the class was brief: the class was scheduled for 2 hours, it started 20 minutes late, and I had to leave an hour after we finally started. But the experience was totally worth it. I go to school in the city of Miami and it never hurts to be prepared.

But would you know what you would do if someone tried to attack you? Trying to take your things, body, or life?

Part of protecting yourself against an attack is being conscious of what you would do if you were to be attacked.

Remember…

Yell. Don’t scream. Screams come from your throat, but a yell comes from your stomach. So yell as loud as you can, “No!” Trust me it’s weird at first, but practice makes confidence.

Abandon the material stuff. If he or she wants your purse, just give up the replaceable junk and run away. You can replace your phone, but you cannot replace your body or your life.

And take a self defense class! If you’re in college, there should be some free or inexpensive classes for you. If your school doesn’t have them, then encourage your local police department to host a class. Your local community center or martial arts school should offer a similar service.

For more on self defense, visit this site.

Are you prepared for a possible attack? How have you prepared? Or why haven’t you?