How to Use “Expect Me”™ Like a Pro

When it comes to personal safety, a little bit of planning can go a long way. Think about those times when you’ve walked home alone from the library late at night or headed out for a first date with someone you met online. There’s often that nagging thought to let someone know where you’ll be just in case. In fact, feeling uneasy in such situations is very common. Many of us use informal solutions, like texting a friend. However, as well-intentioned as those check-ins are, they rely on memory and timing. That’s where the uSafeUS® app’s Expect Me™ feature comes in; it makes these safety check-ins automatic, easy, and reliable.

Expect Me lets you set up a safety check-in when you’re heading somewhere alone. This feature temporarily shares your location with trusted contacts and alerts them if you don’t arrive on time, adding an extra layer of security to your routine. Expect Me is a key safety feature of the uSafeUS mobile app, designed to function like a high-tech buddy system. The idea is simple: if you reach your destination safely and on time, you check in and deactivate Expect Me. But, if you’re delayed or don’t deactivate the alert in time, your chosen friends will automatically get an alert letting them know you might need help. This can be a lifesaver in scenarios where you can’t make that “I’m okay” call yourself. The beauty of Expect Me is that it turns something we should do, tell someone where we are, into something we actually will do because it’s so easy. Here are some perfect opportunities to use Expect Me like a pro: late-night walks or commutes, going out for the evening, first dates, and going off campus. Using Expect Me is straightforward, but here’s a quick guide to ensure you’re getting the most out of this feature.

Set Up Your Trusted Contacts: First, decide who you want as your emergency contacts in the app. Pick friends who are likely to have their phone nearby when you might need them. You can choose up to six trusted contacts and add their info in the app. It’s a good idea to talk to these contacts in advance and ask that they download the app if they haven’t already. You can grant the app permission to access your contacts to make this easy, and you can always update this list over time.

Activate Expect Me Before You Go: Whenever you’re about to enter a situation where you’d like that safety net, open the uSafeUS app and tap Expect Me. The app will prompt you to enter some details: which friends you want to see your location, what time you expect to be back, and to enable location sharing if not already enabled. Now, as you head to your destination, your phone is essentially pinging your location to the secure server which your contacts can access on their phone via their uSafeUS app.

Go About Your Plans: Once Expect Me is activated, you can carry on as normal. Your trusted contacts don’t need to do anything at this point except be aware. They will receive text reminders. If they have the uSafeUS app too, they can see your live location.  Knowing this, you can relax and focus on what you’re doing, whether it’s walking home or enjoying your night out. It’s comforting to remember that you’ve got a safety net, as your friends are aware of your journey without actually being there. During this time, make sure to keep your phone on and charged since it’s doing the work of transmitting your location.

Extend if Necessary: If you end up needing more time than originally set (maybe the walk took longer, or you decided to grab late-night food on the way), stop and start a new session with a new ETA.

Check In When You Arrive Safely: Upon reaching your destination or finishing the activity, open the app and turn off the Expect Me session. This will stop the location sharing and let the app know you’re okay. When you arrive safely, your contacts will be informed of your arrival.
If You Don’t Check In, What Happens?: Now, let’s talk about the critical part. Suppose you don’t arrive on time and therefore don’t deactivate the timer (maybe you truly ran into trouble, or you lost your phone, etc.). Once the set time is up, Expect Me will automatically notify your contacts that you haven’t arrived as expected, providing them with your last known location and instructions to call you. If you simply forgot to turn it off, be sure to inform your contacts that you are fine. A good plan for you and your friends is if they get an Expect Me alert, they should try to call or text you immediately. Often, it could be a false alarm. If they can’t reach you and still have no confirmation of your safety, then they should take appropriate action, such as contacting other friends who might know your whereabouts, or, if truly worried, alerting campus security or the police with your last known location. The uSafeUS system is designed so that even if you can’t call for help, the combination of your GPS trail and your friends’ awareness can get help to you.

Using Expect Me is all about being proactive, not paranoid. Instead of only opening an app when you’re already in crisis, you can use uSafeUS as a preventative tool integrated into your everyday life. Over time, this builds a culture where safety isn’t just an afterthought; it’s part of the routine. So, the next time you’re heading out solo or find yourself thinking “Should I tell someone where I’m going?”, remember that Expect Me has your back. A few taps on your phone can set up a whole support system quietly working in the background.