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&nbsp;The Study Abroad Office warned Northwestern students in Europe to stay away from crowded tourist areas and places associated with the United States, such as Starbucks, McDonald&rsquo;s and the Hard Rock Caf&eacute;. The warning was sent in an&nbsp;email Monday afternoon, one day after the U.S. Department of State issued a travel alert&nbsp;warning of increased potential for terrorist attacks in Europe.
The email from the Study Abroad Office also told students to be alert to their surroundings, report suspicious persons or packages, and to keep cell phones charged and with them at all times.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re encouraging them to stay in touch with their program directors on site who know their cities very well, and can give them tips on places to avoid,&rdquo; said Alicia Stanley, associate director of study abroad. &ldquo;We want to make sure that they ensure their safety to the best of their ability by avoiding crowded tourist areas and typical American spots.&rdquo;
A travel alert is less serious than a travel warning and does not discourage Americans from traveling to Europe. The Oct. 3 alert specifically mentions public transportation systems and tourist infrastructure as potential terrorist targets.
&ldquo;Current information suggests that al-Qaeda and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks,&rdquo; the alert said. &ldquo;U.S. citizens should take every precaution to be aware of their surroundings and to adopt appropriate safety measures to protect themselves when traveling.&rdquo;
Matthew Cramer, a Weinberg sophomore who is studying in Italy, learned of the alert after returning from a weekend of traveling.
&ldquo;Obviously, it was a bit startling to see this after just traveling without any notable precautions for three days,&rdquo; Cramer said in an email. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s difficult to get news like this abroad&hellip;because I don&rsquo;t have access to my cell phone.&nbsp; If something were to happen while I was outside of my dorm, I likely wouldn&rsquo;t find out about it until I returned, which is an alarming thought.&rdquo;
Cramer has postponed planned trips to London and Paris at the request of his parents.
Other students are less concerned about the alert. Paris West, a Communication junior, said she doesn&rsquo;t plan to take any extra safety measures while traveling.
&ldquo;I always use precaution when taking pubic transportation,&rdquo; West said. &ldquo;Considering that I am in London, and the city has been dealing with terrorists attacks since the mid-20th century, I trust that they authorities know what they are doing.&rdquo;
Details about what prompted the alert are unclear, but the State Department says the decision was based on the cumulative impact of intelligence gathered over the past several weeks.
Editor&rsquo;s note: Paris West is also a contributor to North by Northwestern&rsquo;s study abroad blogs.