When I say defense I'm not talking about starting a war, but in my opinion, any and all citizens should own firearms for home and personal defense. Shotguns are great for home defense because of their deadliness at close range, and their low velocity compared to rifles. A good used Remington 870 with a short barrel could be purchased for around $200. This would be my suggestion for a primary home dense weapon. A good side arm is also great to have for the concealability and to have a firearm to carry with you. Hi-Point makes some good handguns that can be purchased new for less than $200. Shotgun and handgun ammo is cheap compared to rifle ammo, and a few hundred rounds for each weapon would be a must. For a college student wanting some added protection for their food storages back at home, a good shotgun and side arm should do the trick.
The next and possibly most important question is "How do you plan on getting home from college?" This is where your get-home bag comes into play. I made a more in depth post back in January about Get Home Bags. All bags are different, but all serve the same purpose; providing you with the supplies you need to get home from college in the event of a disaster. Worst case scenario is you would have to trek it on foot. If this is possible for you, then you would want to keep a good pair of hiking boots, change of clothes, some food bars, water, a compass, map, and other things you think might help you get home in a backpack, ready to go at all times. My Get Home Bag might contain a lot of stuff I might not absolutely need, but I can fit it all in my large ALICE pack so I'm fine with it. Like I said before, you want to tailor your Get Home Bag to fit your specific needs, and you can use mine as an idea of what you would need.
First aid seems to be an important part of prepping a lot of people overlook. First Aid supplies are essential to your total prepping supplies, and can be had for very cheap. There are tons of resources for creating your own first aid kits , and there are also lots of pre-made kits you can purchase for nearly just as cheap. These kits can be purchased from Amazon for less than $30 and include all you need to treat your minor and even moderate injuries.
There are also other supplies that would come in handy in the event of an emergency or disaster. In the event the electricity goes out, you would want to make sure you have the flashlights and batteries stored that you need. I learned this lesson from the Ice Storm that happened earlier this year. Flashlights won't do you any good without batteries to power them. You can purchase batteries in bulk from lots of places including Meritline.com. If you catch them on sale, you can get them for around $.30 a piece. They also sell nice LED flashlights that use very low power and provide a really bright beam of light. A few LED flashlights, a LED headlamp, and a LED tent light will allow you to work and function at night after the power goes off. Candles are also important and emergency candles can be purchased for really cheap. Propane lanterns are also a great way to light your home in the dark of night. Another thing people overlook is hygiene products, specifically toilet paper. I know hygiene would be one of the least important things to worry about in a disaster, but we all still have to wipe our butts and toilet paper will be a valuable commodity if a disaster struck. You want to keep a good supply of toilet paper, toothpaste, soap, and toothbrushes. If you are visually impaired like me, a supply of contact lenses and a few pair of extra glasses will allow you to function if the optometrist isn't available. Communication is also important and a few hand held radios that accept the batteries you already have stored would be a good way to keep in touch with family if you had to leave the house for something.
There are still lots of things I haven't mentioned, but this is just a guide to show college students that even on a small budget they can prepare and create themselves an insurance policy against the coming economic collapse. In this series I have discussed and provided ideas for food storage, water storage, and the necessary supplies that would go along with your food and water stores. Anyone can prepare, there are no excuses. It just takes time and patience by getting a little here and there and before you know it, you're prepared!
Prepping for College Students Part 1
Prepping for College Students Part 2
Prepping for College Students Part 3
