Statistics show that a large number of car accidents happen within a one-mile radius of the driver’s home – because the driver is so comfortable with the scenery that he or she fails to pay very close attention to the road.

With two weeks left in the semester we’ve all gotten more comfortable in our surroundings since August.

Freshman have gone from having only a few friends on campus to now having many friends who act as family when they’re away at school.

Floor mates who were once unsure of each other have grown comfortable as they’ve passed each other many times in the hall and been forced to share a bathroom.

In a sense, we’ve all become more comfortable in our surroundings and we’ve learned what we can get away with.

Some of us have learned how to avoid our course reading but still appear knowledgeable about it in class and some have learned the best places to go during a fire alarm in the dorms.

A small but noticeable group of students has learned how to get away with stealing – particularly in the Offenhauer dorms. This has caused more than a minor annoyance.

Without taking blame away from the thefts, the victims are partially to blame for actions that make them vulnerable to these petty crimes.

When people are comfortable in their surroundings they leave the doors to their dorm rooms open when they shouldn’t, they leave their textbooks in common areas when they make a quick stop at the bathroom and they leave their cell phones and iPods out in the open.

Any police officer will tell you the odds of getting these possessions back are slim to none.

These actions make you and your things vulnerable, but the more accessible your things are to other people, the more likely someone is to steal them.

Also when you leave your things laying around, someone who might not otherwise steal, might be tempted to take them.

As easy as it is to blame others for our misfortune, we’ve got to take responsibility for our actions and do everything in our power to make it difficult for people to commit petty crimes.

As great as it is to feel comfortable when you’re far away from home, we take greater risks when we are comfortable in our surroundings and don’t think through the decisions we make.

Letting your guard down can help you make friends, but don’t let it affect your personal safety and the possessions you value.