The ExeterDrop Advises..

Nobody likes to feel like they’re not welcome.

But, from time to time, there’s the individual who just doesn’t mix into the group – the Third Wheel, so to speak.
 

With Exeter University and Exeter city security currently facing speculation, a recent threat to student living appears to be the emerging trend of the uninvited guest accompanying a group home, and refusing to leave.
 

Such an event occurred during the early hours of Friday morning as a Third year Exeter English student returned home after a merry evening at Firehouse, followed by Timepiece.
 

“Myself and two work colleagues were meeting with others to celebrate the work of our Manager at Firehouse, who was leaving to travel for a year.

A few bottles of wine later we headed to Timepiece, rather jovial and particularly enjoying ourselves.
 

Whilst there, I recognised two guys who were also students, who then joined us, accompanied by another young man. He looked like a student, so no one questioned it. They stayed with us for the entirety of the evening, and came back to mine for a few more drinks.”
 

It was during this time that the English student noticed something was wrong.
 

“We were all having a laugh, but the third guy didn’t join in with any of our Exeter related jokes. He seemed really out of the circle. Something just didn’t feel right.
 

I spoke to the two gentlemen I knew, and they mentioned how neither of them had any idea who the other guy was. He definitely wasn’t a student, he had just tagged along.”

Around 3.30am, the two male students left the house, leaving the girls behind with the unknown lad. They demanded that he leave, but complained that his house was too far away for him to walk.
 

“He then requested a taxi, which he then refused to get in to. There was no way, in his mind, that he was staying anywhere other than my house.”
 

Faced with the frightening fact that the young man was far stronger than any of the girls and that he had been drinking, they returned to their rooms and locked the doors.

“I was actually quite scared, for the girls, myself, and everything valuable in the house.”

The stress of the situation assisted in sobering up the girl, permitting her to approach the lad once again. By this time he had rearranged the sitting room in order to make himself comfortable on the sofa.

“Once again, I demanded he left, stating there was no way he could stay. I threatened to call the police if he didn’t, which finally persuaded him to go.”
 

She added: “In our intoxicated state, none of us fully grasped that this guy could have taken anything he wanted from the house. We just let him in, no questions asked.
 

We all just assumed that someone in the group knew him, otherwise I wouldn’t have been so hospitable. When you're a student, you can become far too trusting, especially in the Exeter bubble."
 

If you find yourself in the awkward situation of having someone you don’t know demand lodgings for the night, Exeter City Council recommended calling Exeter Community Patrol on 0845 3511 060.
 

If you feel the situation to be more serious, the number for the Local Police Station is 101 – it is not advised to call 999 unless in a serious emergency.
 

A few ExeterDrop pointers:
 

– Work out how everyone in a group knows one another, or how you’re connected.
 

– Check all doors and windows are locked once the intruder has left.
 

– If you feel he/she could be a threat again, ring the local police and report the incident.
 

– Drink responsibly.