Oh, No….It Happened!

We’ve all done it, lost something.  It’s not surprising that a college student may lose their keys, book, wallet, phone, etc.  They have so many things occupying their minds and are learning to “adult” for the first time.  As parents, the frustration is usually about the security of things (i.e. losing a debit card).  Things can be replaced, but with so many cases of identity theft, your student is just as vulnerable.  And with students being far from home, fixing the problem can be challenging.

It’s gone…

My daughter lost her beloved debit card in her freshman year.  She swears she put it on her desk and it just disappeared. Since her banking was tied with ours, she could not just go to the credit union on campus and get a new one.  We decided to track all activity on the card and not to cancel it right away. Knowing our daughter, it was bound to be in a purse, back pocket, or under books somewhere in her room.  Luckily, she did have Venmo, so we could pay her friends for things that they bought for her in the meantime.  Well, after a week, it never turned up, so we canceled the card and she was sent a new one.  But I bet you can guess what happened next, right? After another week, she found it in the hand pocket of a sweatshirt.  No harm, no foul.

Conduct a search on the student USF pages (Facebook), and you will see lots of posting for lost items.  Other students are actually really sympathetic and helpful. It happens. One thing we found that works great is The Tile.  It is a small lost and found device that you attach to the things you don’t want to lose, be it a computer, bike, keys, luggage, wallets, and even pets.  It links to your phone or computer and you can look up the location of your lost device. For lost phones, they have a Find My Phone or Device Manager to access, provided their phone is not turned off.

Whether you have a student studying abroad or on campus, perhaps a gift of a tracking device will alleviate the frustration, anger, and tears should they lose something valuable. Of course, USF does have a lost and found located in the Marshall Student Center as well as every academic building.  Items of value (laptops, driver’s licenses, wallets, etc.) are immediately taken to the Campus Police Department. You may find the links for them here.

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Keeping your stuff safe while at college is a priority. As we were preparing my daughter for college, one of the most popular subjects discussed on my parent’s Facebook page was safety. I’m talking about how to keep all of their “stuff” safe. There were opinions and suggestions flying around weekly. No matter how many suggestions, opinions, and items you buy, they only work if your student actually heeds the advice, and uses said items.

That being said, do not be surprised when your child calls you to tell you that they lost their ID, phone, keys, etc.  It’s bound to happen. But worse than that is when they call you to tell you that something was actually stolen from them.  When I was in college, the biggest thing to be stolen was a bike or a meal plan card (back then it was a flimsy laminated punch card).  Today, students come to school with computers, tablets, and dozens of other valuable electronics; not to mention jewelry, expensive shoes, and clothes.

So, the first thing you need to hammer into your child’s brain is to LOCK THEIR DOOR. Some may live in a suite type dorm where there is a door to the suite, and then their own bedroom door. Others may have one door to their room. Students think it’s no big deal to just run down the hall to the bathroom, or laundry room, or to their friend’s room without needing to lock their door. And in a perfect world, that shouldn’t be a problem. In reality, opportunities are always available for those that are up to no good, and it only takes a second for something to be taken. You may have full faith in your child’s roommate (s), but there are always visitors, and they may not know who should be there, and who should not be.  My daughter was guilty of this, and luckily nothing was ever taken, but every living space has stories of things going missing, so take note.

What Can I Do To Keep Stuff Safe?

There are trunks you can buy that have locks on them. They fit under the bed and come in colors to match their décor. Valuables can be kept in them, especially when going home for a weekend or longer. A Dorm Vault takes up very little space and can be attached either with a security cable or a bolt. It complies with regulations in both dorms and apartments as it is not mounted on the wall or to the bedposts. The Founder/Owner has agreed to offer readers of our blog a 10% discount. Just use the code HUH10OFF.

Another thing to consider is renter’s insurance. USF is not responsible for a loss or damage to student’s personal property kept in the student’s assigned space or on or about any of the Department’s facilities.  Your homeowner’s policy will most likely cover a percentage of the total personal property coverage if you live in the dorms. If your student is in an apartment, a separate policy may be required from the leasing office. Check with the office for confirmation. Your personal company may write you a policy easily, but if you need to find a new one, here is a list that many uses.

National Student Services, Inc. – 800-256-6774

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (formerly College Student Renter’s Insurance) – 888-411-4911

Security First which is a Florida Renter’s Insurance company –  877-900-3974

Nationwide – 877-669-6877

Students need to be diligent and smart.  And by all means, LOCK THEIR DOOR!

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