I never thought I'd be that person who carries pepper spray. I used to think it was a bit paranoid. But last summer changed everything for me. I was walking home from my friend's place around 10 PM, a route I'd taken a hundred times. This guy started following me, matching my pace, getting closer. My heart was pounding. I picked up speed, he picked up speed. I crossed the street, he crossed too. I ended up running the last three blocks home and practically threw myself through my apartment door. The next morning, I was still shaky. My roommate sat me down and said, Look, I know it feels dramatic, but just get something. Anything that makes you feel less helpless. She was right. I didn't want to live scared, but I also didn't want to feel that vulnerable again. I started researching and got overwhelmed - there are SO many options, and the prices at local stores were wild ($30-40 for a tiny canister?). A coworker mentioned she'd ordered a multipack from Alibaba for her college-aged daughters which was way cheaper for the same specs. I was skeptical about quality at first, but she showed me the ones she got and they looked identical to the name-brand stuff. I ended up ordering a 3-pack gel formula (the gel is supposed to be better than spray because it doesn't blow back at you in the wind). It cost me like $15 total. It's been almost a year now. I've never had to use it (thank God), but two of my friends have gotten their own after I told them about my experience. One keeps hers in her car, another in her gym bag. I'm not saying everyone needs pepper spray, but if you've ever had that sick feeling walking alone at night, or that moment where you think what would I actually do if…, maybe it's worth considering. It's not about living in fear. It's about living with one less thing to fear.
Submitted February 19, 2026 at 06:21PM by nullnimous https://ift.tt/xWZ6Qmw
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