If you've been following along with the news recently, you may have noticed this trend where colleges (most famously, the University of Chicago) decide against a "safe space" policy. There's been a bit of confusion floating around about what this actually means and the impact it has on students, so I'm here to clear up a few common misconceptions.

First of all, a safe space does not just involve using inclusive language. While it should be a priority for colleges and students to do their best not to offend anyone, this isn't necessarily the function of safe spaces.

Any business or school can become a certified safe space by ensuring that they have a safe room where someone can hide in case of an attack. It's typically a small room with a door that locks from the inside, so someone can feel safe until the police show up. Having these rooms dispersed regularly throughout campus ensures that students can feel safer in case of an emergency.

These spaces, while they can be used in a variety of different scenarios, are primarily designed with the intention of keeping students safe from sexual predators. When roughly one-quarter of women experience sexual abuse at some point during their college career, these safeguards are vitally important.

Safe spaces have also typically been directed toward students who identify as LGBT+, due to the amount of discrimination they face on a daily basis. These spaces often place a heavy emphasis on inclusivity and focus on getting rid of offensive slurs or inappropriate language.

So why do colleges turn their back on the safety of their students?

The problem is that many institutions equate safe spaces with political correctness. They often assume that safe spaces are only certain areas that enforce inclusive language. Rather than modifying their outlooks language, they choose to put both the physical and mental well-being of their students behind their own personal comfort and reputation.

This sparks another conversation about political correctness on campus. The problem is that people often see language modification as an inconvenience to themselves, rather than a blessing to others.

On any college campus, you are bound to find someone who has been through a traumatic experience that they would rather not relive. If removing a single word from your vocabulary is enough to keep this person from having a mental breakdown, you would think that any person or school would want to take that option.

However, as I've stated before, we live in a time where many institutions value personal comfort over the well-being of others. Schools are no exception to this. While I may be fortunate enough to attend a college that does employ safe spaces, I know that many are not as fortunate.

I also know that today, there are many who agree with the choice of some schools to ignore the safe space system. I urge you to reconsider. The choice to use safe spaces resides with each individual person. Any one of us can choose to speak out against violence, but if we speak together, they just might listen.