Following the disappearance of Penn State student Cindy Song the morning after Halloween, some Penn State students are showing signs of increasing concern for their safety on and off campus.

"One of my friends is a lot more cautious now," Meghan Tuohy (freshman-animal bioscience) said. "But for the most part, everyone's been acting the same."

Pamela Gerber, the victim advocate at Penn State Police Services and supervisor of its escort service, 865-WALK, has not noticed an increase in the use of the escort service. "In the past, if we've had an event on campus with a stranger or some kind of crime, there has been an increase (in calls to the escort service)," she said.

Students, however, do not seem alarmed by Song's disappearance.

"Honestly, I've always been pretty careful," said Christina Ogburn (senior-psychology). "I'm cautious; I always have my cell phone and my friends know where I am."

Organizations on campus echo the sentiments of most students. While the Black Caucus has been involved in the actual search for Song, no groups publicly have put an emphasis on promoting safety because of Song's disappearance.

"We really focus more on sexual assault and rape," said Daniel Hindman, a member of Men Stopping Rape.

Penn State police offer safety tips for everyone to follow.

"There are a lot of things you can do to deter someone from making you a victim," Gerber said. "We encourage people to not walk alone — at least walk with a friend. People who are looking for victims are often looking for someone walking alone."

Gerber also said that people should "pay attention to their instincts." If a situation does not feel safe, it might not be, and it should be avoided, she added.

Like Penn State Police, some parents are showing concern for the safety of their children on campus.

"My parents have given me a little light to carry — like that's going to help," said Katie Quinn (senior-elementary education).

Still, Quinn expressed some concern for her safety in State College. "I feel much safer on campus than off. There's a lot more lighting and people around."

Laura Donnelly (graduate-media studies), like many people on campus, prefers not to walk alone at night. "I do things that are considered safe," she said. "I'm always aware of my surroundings."

Donnelly added, "We're women in a college town. We have to use common sense."