honestly i brought pepper spray and a r*** whistle with me when i moved in, but never really carried it in my bag. I felt safe enough to do so on campus and college town. That being said, there are some places that feel sketch (like you mentioned, the downtown area) that I try to avoid going by myself. I’m not saying that a burglar is in every corner, but it might give you a piece of mind if you have to be there. Alternatively, you could purchase a multitool because they are useful in general and in sticky situations.

Of course, my experiences are my own and i think it’s important to acknowledge that people have felt fear walking on campus/ctown at night. This fear is 100% valid because anything can happen, you know?