The world is a dangerous place. There are going to be times—no doubt—that make you feel uneasy or unsafe. You may be walking home alone after a night out with your friends, and have some sense that someone’s following you. Or, you may be on a jog in the early morning, and see a car slow down beside you. This has become part of life as a young adult, but it’s time we give ourselves more peace of mind. Enter the new app obtainable on the App Store and Google play, Companion.
Companion was developed by five students at the University of Michigan. It’s a way to virtually walk your friend or loved one home. There are several helpful safety apps out there already, but this is the first of its kind: designed by students for students.
Here’s how it works: before a solo walk home, users can send a request to one or more friends or family members through the app. Once the request is accepted, the designated friend has the ability to track the user’s walk. They don’t even need the app installed for this. If the walker feels unsafe at any moment, there’s an “I Feel Nervous” button they can tap, which alerts the friend of this and their exact location. The app also has a function to call the police.
If the walker diverts from their path, starts running, or has their headphones yanked out of their phone, a button appears asking if they are okay. If it is not answered within 15 seconds, the phone will emit a loud alarm to deter anybody up to no good. All the while, the friend at home is alerted and can immediately contact the police.
We are seriously loving the simplicity and empowerment this app offers. Check it out here.
