Am I Being Paranoid or Reasonably Cautious About College Dorm Safety?

First off, I am sorry to hear about your assault. You definitely did not deserve it the least bit, in any way, shape, or form. You are a beautiful, precious, and irreplaceable person, and you deserve to be safe. Unfortunately, not living on campus does not mean you will escape the chances of being assaulted. Many campuses are huge, and parking is often ways off of the classroom buildings. If some louse of a creep is set on wanting to hurt you, he will do so whether you are living in a dorm room, or having to walk across to wherever in creation you may have been able to find a place to park. Given all of that, I can't say if you are being paranoid or not. You have a legitimate reason to be cautious/afraid, because you have already had your safety violated once before, but there are things you can do to keep yourself as safe as possible, just by being smart about your surroundings. Don't walk alone if you can avoid it, if you have good friends who make you feel safe, or you meet a bunch of new friends who give you that feeling of safety, maybe ask them to walk with you to your car so you're not walking alone. And maybe try to keep as many of your classes during the day as possible, so you are not having to walk to a dorm, or to your car, or wherever after dark. I hope that any advice you (whether mine, or anyone else's who replies to you) get on here helps you feel better, and that you have lots of luck in your college/university studies.