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CNN Live At Daybreak
College Week: Safety on Campus; Life After College
Aired August 28, 2001 - 08:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to our "College Week" here on CNN LIVE AT DAYBREAK. I'm Carol Lin.
VINCE CELLINI, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Vince Cellini.
Carol is off her box she was standing on earlier this morning. So this is our actual height as seen on television.
And we are going to finish our last half hour of CNN LIVE AT DAYBREAK with our continuation of "College Week." And that means, basically, campus news for everyone.
LIN: That's right.
We are going to be talking about safety issues as well. I don't know about you, but when I was 18 years old, I thought nothing of walking across the UCLA campus late at night. I felt perfectly secure because a lot of students were around. But I didn't realize the risks that I was taking at the time.
CELLINI: Well, I was from small Midwestern campus in Worcester, Ohio. So it was a little different for me. It wasn't near the big city. So I never even thought anything of taking a walk on campus late at night. And I took many of those walks late at night on campus.
(CROSSTALK)
LIN: Well, I'm sure people were trying to find you.
(LAUGHTER)
CELLINI: One way or the other.
LIN: At any rate.
But we are going to have a campus safety expert here to do a real live, very physical demonstration on what you can do to protect yourself and how not to get into trouble in the first place.
CELLINI: Should we talk to some of the audience members at this time?
LIN: Yes. You know, I'm curious. We have got some students back here. And I just want to know whether, from any of your perspectives here, how many risks do you take on campus?
Do any of you walk across campus at night? Any of you? Raise your hand.
CELLINI: Right here, we have -- do you have a comment or a question?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, not really.
CELLINI: Oh, I'm sorry, because Chris (ph) tapped you on the shoulder. And it certainly looked like you did.
LIN: You're with Oglethorpe...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I'm at Oglethorpe.
LIN: ... University, right?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our campus is made -- they've taken the necessary precautions.
LIN: What did they do?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Recently, this summer they cleared out a whole bunch of trees to make sure that the paths were clear so that people could see through the forests on campus. Also, our Campus Safety, they wear more official uniforms now. You can clearly tell that they are a part of Campus Safety. They look very official.
LIN: Those are the escorts who you can call to walk you from one point to another?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, this is our security, our Campus Safety.
LIN: Security.
So do you go out at night? Do you feel comfortable, then, enough to walk across campus at night?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm an R.A. So I have to do rounds around my residence hall. And I do feel safe. They have a lot of lights up around campus. I don't walk through the back pathways.
CELLINI: As an R.A., what type of advice do you give to the students who live in your particular residence?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I tell them take the longer route. Go through the streets. Go through the parking lots, instead of going through the woods and the pathways. I tell them to be aware, to look out, to carry mace. I mean, that's something to do in Atlanta, anyway. It's very important.
LIN: Right -- any major, city but even a small town.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right. LIN: I bet a small town like the College of Worcester, where you went, Vince.
CELLINI: Anyone else with a question or a statement about security on campus? Do you have any campus concerns whatsoever?
None. You feel completely safe where you are at all times.
LIN: Andy Peck over here is with Emory University. And Andy is a physical ed instructor. But he's also going to be doing a physical demonstration.
And, Andy, this is the level of confidence that you see on campuses.
We are going to be talking about that and whether it's justified as soon as CNN LIVE AT DAYBREAK comes back. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: Welcome back to "College Week" here on CNN LIVE AT DAYBREAK.
We have a special guest with us this morning. Andy Peck is a phys-ed instructor at Emory University here in Atlanta. And of course, you know Kyra Phillips, my cohort, my friend.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Your pal.
LIN: Pal.
And the reason why we have Kyra involved here is I know nothing about self defense. Kyra is a very particular case. Kyra has had special training in weapons. She knows how to handle a gun. She has taken several self-defense courses.
PHILLIPS: I look so innocent, you'd never know.
LIN: I know. I wouldn't want to this girl on.
Much of it having to do with your investigative reporting past. In the meantime, Kyra is going to be part of a physical demonstration with us and talking about the level of confidence probably a lot of women have with special training.
PHILLIPS: You know, I start to wonder, you think you're so prepared, but actually maybe you shouldn't have that type of mentality, so maybe a balance of confidence and still being aware, if we could get into that.
LIN: But in the meantime, a lot of woman out there like me, I have no training, but I have a lot of chutzpah. And when I was at school at UCLA, I routinely, and I shocked myself at this, I routinely walked across campus late at night, and I knew better, and I knew I could call an escort service. I thought, it is such a hassle, I can deal with this. The lights are on. There are people out on campus. What do I need to know?
ANDY PECK, PERSONAL SAFETY EXPERT: First of all, when you are walking across campus or you're walking by yourself in any area that is dark or isolated, first thing that you want to do is use your awareness, be aware.
LIN: Using my awareness, I am walking across campus right now. Where is somebody likely to come at me?
PHILLIPS: Here, I'll hold the mike. If you want to demonstrate, Andy, I will hold the mike while you're explaining.
PECK: That's another important thing. You want to visualize, as you're walking, be looking at areas that you think might be trouble areas. Visualize what might happen in those areas.
LIN: And show me what might happen.
PECK: It's real easy. I mean, this is a classic, what we call sucker punch coming in out of here. OK.
PHILLIPS: From behind.
PECK: From behind.
LIN: What I would do is just turn around, I'd kick you, I'd knee you.
PECK: Exactly. And you want to use -- when you feel the need to use force, you want to go all out.
LIN: All out, don't hold back.
PECK: Don't hold back at all.
LIN: Someone with Kyra's level of confidence in training, I'm going to hand you over to her to see what you will do.
PHILLIPS: You want to grab some e-mail and audience questions.
LIN: Absolutely.
PHILLIPS: So basically, you're telling Carol fight with all your might.
PECK: Definitely.
PHILLIPS: OK, certain areas she should go for. I've always learn throat, temples, eyes.
PECK: Certainly go tore the weak points. Sometimes, though, in those situations, things happen so fast and so instinctively, but you do want to put something straight out in front of you, to maximize the distance between yourself and the opponent, because if at all possible, you want to escape, you want to get out of that situation, and you want to remove yourself as a target. PHILLIPS: What if you put your arm around me, if you come around my neck like this, I've always learned to kind of drop back and come in behind the knee and hit here and try to do this. Do you recommend that?
PECK: Yes, definitely.
And there's also a nice little pressure point up here behind the ear that you can go for.
PHILLIPS: Where is it? Directly -- go ahead and demonstrate, but don't drop me to the ground, please.
Wow.
Can a female have that kind of power with a big huge man coming at her?
PECK: For example. Let me show you here. I have my hand around your head here.
PHILLIPS: OK.
PECK: Now reach up and...
PHILLIPS: Right here?
PECK: No, reach up behind me.
PHILLIPS: And come in behind your ear.
PECK: Yes, there's one area.
Try the other ear. That's a little bit closer for you. Yes.
PHILLIPS: OK.
PECK: And go ahead and press.
PHILLIPS: I don't want to do this to you.
PECK: There we go.
PHILLIPS: Wow. Hey, all right. Carol, we got to remember this at home with our husbands. Now on a serious note.
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: Yes, there you go. All right, you've got tough questions. Here we go, Andy.
LIN: That's right. From Monica, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Monica writes: How do you keep a guy from pulling you in a car while you have your backpack on? It's hard to run fast with something that heavy on your back. PECK: Yes, definitely that's a problem situation. Typically when you sense, for example, if a car pulling up aside of you, you need to realize that your backpack is a liability.
LIN: It's a handle. I mean it's something for somebody to grab on to.
PECK: Definitely. But, the makers of backpacks engineer them, such that you can get out of them easily. For example, if you have backpack, you're outside walking in the woods, you're crossing a stream; you don't want to go fall in the stream and go down with your backpack, so they make quick release latches on the backpacks.
LIN: Something to look for. Yes, that's a good idea.
PECK: Yes.
LIN: And you know, I think the bottom line is that nothing is worth your life. Drop the backpack, it doesn't matter what's in there, your keys, your ID. Let go and run.
PECK: Exactly.
LIN: All right, thank you very much. Andy Peck with Emory University. Did you guys learn something here?
All right, we'll be right back. "College Week" continues on CNN LIVE AT DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CELLINI: Welcome back. Campus is home away from home for nine months, but that's no excuse to let your guard down. Some students go to school without knowing how safe their campus really is. But, you can find out thanks to our guests.
From Safety On Campus Incorporated in Philadelphia, joining us are Howard Clery III, and Catherine Bath. Thank you very much, both of you, for being with us.
I know your organization was founded out of tragedy. Howard, you lost a sister to an on-campus attack at Lehigh University. Catherine you had a son who died after a drinking binge at Duke.
In that vein, alcohol. Is alcohol more or less at the center of most of these on-campus incidents and some tragedies? Howard?
HOWARD CLERY III, SECURITY ON CAMPUS INC.: Yes, yes. Definitely. Alcohol is at the center of like 90 percent of the crime on college campuses. Actually, it's 90 percent of the crimes due to non-students, 75 percent involves alcohol.
CELLINI: How do we have more of an awareness as parents in really educating kids as they head off to campus, regarding alcohol?
CLERY: Well, you want to talk to your children about responsible alcohol use. I mean obviously, if you drink a lot of alcohol you lose control, you make bad decisions. You have to go through all of this. It's going to effect your grades in the long run.
CELLINI: There also is an awareness about who pours you a drink, in terms of possibly being drugged, and all these things that maybe students aren't aware of as they go to that first party on campus, a kegger. Again, awareness involving exactly what you're consuming.
CATHERINE BATH, SECURITY ON CAMPUS, INC.: You know, it's a good point, Vince. The martial arts expert that was just on, said: What's the number one thing is that kids need to be aware. You can not be aware if you're drunk.
And it's a big problem on this campus, way too many kids are drinking, and even more scary, they're drinking to get drunk. And it's a problem not just in our campuses, but I feel it's a problem that's exacerbated by this whole society, which is really in love with alcohol. It's part of every special occasion in just about every home in this country.
Also, we allow ourselves to be bullied by the alcohol industry, which is beaming glamorous beer ads to our kids 24 hours a day. And every billboard that you drive by paints this picture. So our kids, they're exploring, they're trying to figure out what's the meaning of life, and they're trying alcohol, because that's what they see around them. That's the message they are being given by the alcohol industry.
And it's really a big problem. You know, we are saying to our kids: Do as I say, not as I do.
CELLINI: Well, thank you both. We've given the web site address in our lower third here. We appreciate it. Howard Clery, Catherine Bath, thank you for adding information here as we continue our "College Week." Thank you both.
CLERY: Thank you, Vince.
BATH: Thank you.
CELLINI: And CNN LIVE AT DAYBREAK continues in a moment. We'll talk to some 20-somethings. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: Welcome back to "College Week" here at CNN LIVE AT DAYBREAK. We're thinking about what it was like to be back in our 20s. It wasn't that long ago, as I cross my fingers. But, Vince and I were talking this morning about...
CELLINI: It's been quite a while.
LIN: ... it should be a carefree time. But, I don't know about you, I felt so much pressure when I graduated. I was told it was the toughest year for any college grads since World War II to get a job. I wanted to go to Greece. I took an internshiped at CNN. CELLINI: Well, I think you leave that cocoon at the college campus, and you're leaving as a senior where you are feeling kind of all-powerful. Then you get out there and you're really looking in the real world. You're looking for that job, or at least some direction. I think you get that rude awakening right away. It's not going to be easy to find that career path. So there is a lot of anxiety there.
LIN: Yes. It should be a carefree time, maybe not.
We have a student news bureau here, where young journalists of tomorrow are training. We have a journalist with us today. Kirsten Gladding is a reporter with the news bureau. And you interviewed Kayse Nelson. We have a bit of the report: what it's Like to be in your 20s.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KIRSTEN GLADDING, CNN STUDENT BUREAU REPORTER (voice-over): On the surface, 20-year-old Kayse Nelson's life appears right on track. But after getting her first taste of life in the real working world, Kayse isn't sure.
KAYSE NELSON, STUDENT: The more I think the fact that this will be my life in exactly a year, I can't sleep at night. Am I really going to do this day in and day out?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CELLINI: All right, Kirsten, I want to start with you now.
First of all, you're a great broadcaster already. You know that.
GLADDING: Thank you.
CELLINI: What troubles you guys at 20? It's hard to comprehend from someone who is older and lived a little bit longer what could be so troubling at this point. You should be having fun.
GLADDING: Well, when I told you I was going to do the story, I got a lot of skepticism. But I think that change is hard. Change is always difficult at any age.
And I think the whole point of this is that there are so many changes coming in such a short period of time. And everything that you have come to rely on as life and as reality for 22 years is just sort of changed overnight. And it's very stressful.
LIN: Kayse, what are the messages that you get as you're going out into the work force? Are people trying to tell you, "You shouldn't have any problem"? "You just graduated, or you're in school. You're in your 20s. You should be having a good time. Why are you so stressed out?"
NELSON: The impression I get is you're people are like: "Well, you're going -- you're getting out of college. You're on your own. It's your first taste of the real word. This should be the time of your life, when, really, the career decisions you make are going to -- they are going to determine your work in your 30s and your 40s. And it's going to determine your future, really.
And I feel like your 20s are your most important -- you make your most important decisions for the future in your 20s. And that's what so stressful.
LIN: It's a foundation. Yes, it's so much more important these days to start early and to start fast right out of the gate.
A couple of authors who are joining us right now: Alexandra Robbins and Abby Wilner. They're the authors of "Quarter Life Crisis," -- so life in the 20s -- "Quarter Life Crisis: The Unique Challenges of Life in Your 20s."
And they are coming to us from Washington this morning.
Good morning, guys.
ALEXANDRA ROBBINS, CO-AUTHOR, "QUARTER LIFE CRISIS": Good morning.
ABBY WILNER, CO-AUTHOR, "QUARTER LIFE CRISIS": Good morning.
LIN: Is this a common theme that you are hearing from people in their 20s, that kind of pressure?
ROBBINS: Oh, gosh, yes. And it's timely that we're in back-to- school mode here, because the shift from the academic environment can raise the intensity level of the quarter-life crisis, regardless of whether your education level is high school or college or graduate school.
School is like a game. It's a breeze compared to the rest of your life. You do the work. You get the grades. You graduate. Boom, boom, boom. It's all laid out for you. The goals are clear-cut and structured. But then, once you leave the academic environment, suddenly, there are no road maps, no guidebooks and no promises. Game over. And that can leave a lot of people feeling helpless as they try to grapple with identity issues they haven't faced before.
WILNER: And today there are more career options than ever, which college doesn't necessarily prepare you for. So it's hard to know what you are going to enjoy doing and what you are going to be good at.
CELLINI: Well, we hear words like stress, anxiety and pressure. How about letting your career path take you, to a certain extent? Just because you start down on one road doesn't mean that's going to lead you directly to where you're going to be for the rest of life. Isn't that true?
WILNER: That's true. In fact, job-hopping has become more acceptable than ever. They say the average person today has eight jobs by the time they're 32. But on one the hand, that's also stressful, because it's taking longer than ever to settle down. It's taking longer than ever for people to find a career and for people to get married. So I think that by the time they get all that, you know -- by the time they get all the stuff they complain about at the midlife, they won't want to go back and change anything.
LIN: Alexandra, Abby, when I look back to my 20s, and I was stressing out and I was working round-the-clock to make sure that I tried to get ahead in my field -- and I like to think I have -- but at the same time, when I look back, I wish I took the time off. I wish I spent more of my 20s just kind of burning off the flame a little bit, rather than working so hard, because I realize so many different people have achieved the same level of success doing just that and reaping the rewards of that time off, that down time.
ROBBINS: Yes, because we're in our 20s, especially now, for some reason, we feel like we have to nail down everything: career, home, family, friends, jobs, before we hit 30. We feel like this is the time, as I think Kayse said, that we have to figure everything out. And that's just so much pressure.
LIN: But that's not true, is it? That's not true.
ROBBINS: It's not true. It's not true. But we feel like we have to focus on the end goals, when what we really should be focusing on is the pursuit of those goals.
CELLINI: So relax and enjoy. Some of the real pressures don't come for 10 or 15 years.
ROBBINS: Chill out.
CELLINI: Yes. Have fun.
WILNER: It's easier said than done. But that can help.
LIN: It's hard to see around the bend. But then you turn 30 and you realize: Hey, it's OK.
Thanks so much, Alexandra Robbins and Abby Wilner...
ROBBINS: Sure.
LIN: ... authors of "Quarter Life Crisis."
WILNER: Thank you.
LIN: Not so much of a crisis if you don't want it to be.
We've a Web Site here for you that you can get more information: What are the common and unknown dangers on college campuses, and what do students need to know to stay safe, including a list of 10 tips? That gets back to our mini self-defense course. And tomorrow, college week continues here on CNN LIVE AT DAYBREAK.
CELLINI: I thought we'd have a little fun with photos. Is that going to happen.
PHILLIPS: Actually, yes, I was going to...
CELLINI: Because Yesterday, Vince was the photo.
PHILLIPS: That's right, we had Poncherello on yesterday with his white painter's pants.
CELLINI: Someone else's turn maybe.
PHILLIPS: We scooped up a picture on Carol. Check this out.
LIN: Oh, no.
CELLINI: Very nice.
LIN: Can I tell you, that's one of my best friends from college, Dave McClain (ph), who's now a very successful attorney in Northern California, and hello, dated Heather Locklear, in college.
CELLINI: With that mustache?
LIN: With that mustache.
PHILLIPS: She always went for the bad boys, didn't she?
LIN: Dave was a good boy.
CELLINI: That's quite a get up.
PHILLIPS: Now, Carol, explain the story behind your outfit. Where did this come from?
LIN: Oh god, I can't even remember. It was From a party, you know, rush week, and it was like a Halloween theme, so you know go with what you know, that's what I say.
CELLINI: Let's see, it's been Vince and Carol, so I think...
PHILLIPS: Oh, know I burned all my pictures, I had the freshman 30 going on and the really big hair.
LIN: Yes, but you could never kill that Web site.
Kyra Phillips tomorrow, special weapons expert.
PHILLIPS: There we go, we've got Carol, and do we still have a picture of Poncerelli? Do we still have that, you guys?
CELLINI: Oh please, haven't we lost that yet?
PHILLIPS: We've got to go. Sorry, Vince, I was going to try it one more time.
There he is.
Where were you when I was 22?
CELLINI: Eric Estrada lives.
LIN: Thanks, guys. Much more on "College Week" and our sordid past, but right now, we're going to go to "CNN LIVE THIS MORNING" for more news.
Thanks so much for joining us, and thanks to our audience today. We'll see you tomorrow.
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