keeping things in a dorm room

[school17777]

Both kids will have a prescription that the dr's office warned us that they are finding out from other patients that they are being stolen. Ds is also worried about cash being stolen. Where do college kids store their stuff in the dorm without it being stolen?

 

I thought about buying a small safe for them, but I figure someone would just steal that.

 

I guess ds should just keep a small amount of cash on him and use an atm when he needs more.

[Hoggirl]

Ds does not have one, but I believe there are dorm safes that have some sort of cable on them that allows one to attach to a heavy piece of furniture such as your desk or bed.

 

My ds tends to use his debit card more than cash.

[Gwen in VA]

Are you concerned about the roommate stealing something or someone from outside doing it?

 

Even though students often leave their rooms unlocked, at least at my older kids' college the mandate from on high was to ALWAYS keep the dorm room locked. Your student can insist on that. An RA will always support a locked door, so the student can even get the RA involved if a roommate is resistant to locking the door.

 

There is less you can do about roommates. You really just have to trust them and anyone they let in. And after freshman year usually students can select their roommates so they will be close acquaintances at a minimum.

[katilac]

For the medication, the best precaution is to be discreet: don't talk about it, and take it as privately as possible. 

 

It doesn't take long to search a dorm room, but I would also try to make it as time-consuming as possible to get to both my meds and my money.

 

Keep them in different locations.

 

Don't keep the meds in your ditty bag with your razor, etc. 

 

Only keep small amounts of cash and use a credit card for most transactions - you can use them everywhere now, and very few people even have the $5 minimum anymore.

 

Use a webcam and let people know you are using it. Don't use a webcam but tell people you are. 

 

I'm torn on the safe. In some ways, it seems like it would attract attention and make the room a target.  

 

Discretion is key. Don't let people know you have meds, don't let people see where you keep your cash, never have a lot of cash to begin with. 

[PamJBA]

A small file cabinet that happens to have a lock could be a discreet way to keep a few things safe. I realize, though, that some dorms are too small for even a tiny addition.

 

I have a fire proof safe that's designed to hold files. It's about the size of a banker box, but it weighs enough to make it difficult to move. It could be stashed in the closet or under a higher bed. I suppose it might attract unwanted attention.

 

I agree not talking about the medicine is the best way to deter theft. As for cash there's no reason to keep more than what you need in your wallet. Debit and credit cards work everywhere and there's an ATM for cash emergencies.

[OneStepAtATime]

For the medication, the best precaution is to be discreet: don't talk about it, and take it as privately as possible. 

 

It doesn't take long to search a dorm room, but I would also try to make it as time-consuming as possible to get to both my meds and my money.

 

Keep them in different locations.

 

Don't keep the meds in your ditty bag with your razor, etc. 

 

Only keep small amounts of cash and use a credit card for most transactions - you can use them everywhere now, and very few people even have the $5 minimum anymore.

 

Use a webcam and let people know you are using it. Don't use a webcam but tell people you are. 

 

I'm torn on the safe. In some ways, it seems like it would attract attention and make the room a target.  

 

Discretion is key. Don't let people know you have meds, don't let people see where you keep your cash, never have a lot of cash to begin with. 

:iagree:

 

FWIW, my suitemates even stole parts of my roommate's and my refrigerator and my cassettes and some of her make up.  Nothing we could really do about it.  (On the bright side they were both kicked off campus right after Christmas break. ).

 

Hopefully the roommate is reliable and trustworthy but yes, keep the door locked, take the meds discreetly, keep only small amounts of cash, use a debit card for most transactions and find good hiding spots.

[Wildcat]

For the medication, the best precaution is to be discreet: don't talk about it, and take it as privately as possible. 

 

It doesn't take long to search a dorm room, but I would also try to make it as time-consuming as possible to get to both my meds and my money.

 

Keep them in different locations.

 

Don't keep the meds in your ditty bag with your razor, etc. 

 

Only keep small amounts of cash and use a credit card for most transactions - you can use them everywhere now, and very few people even have the $5 minimum anymore.

 

Use a webcam and let people know you are using it. Don't use a webcam but tell people you are. 

 

I'm torn on the safe. In some ways, it seems like it would attract attention and make the room a target.  

 

Discretion is key. Don't let people know you have meds, don't let people see where you keep your cash, never have a lot of cash to begin with. 

 

I agree. Maybe keep the meds in a pocket of a jacket that hangs in the closet or something. I do like the idea of spreading them out, though. Sort of like a 'decoy' quantity.

 

That said, my dc do have small dorm safes that have cables to attach to the bed frame, etc. They put any rings, wallets, extra cash, etc, in them when they go to the gym or whatever. Not necessarily to protect it from their roommates (I'm not even sure the roomies knew about the safe... it was hidden in their private stuff jammed under the bed), but because the rooms themselves are so easy to enter without a key--- a hanger slid under the door and reaching up to the lever handle is all that is needed to gain entry to the dorms where my dc are living. After seeing that little trick used to get someone back in their room without having to got to the RA and pay a re-entry fee, my kid was convinced that the safe was the way to go.

 

[Wildcat]

:iagree:

 

FWIW, my suitemates even stole parts of my roommate's and my refrigerator and my cassettes and some of her make up.  Nothing we could really do about it.  (On the bright side they were both kicked off campus right after Christmas break. ).

 

Hopefully the roommate is reliable and trustworthy but yes, keep the door locked, take the meds discreetly, keep only small amounts of cash, use a debit card for most transactions and find good hiding spots.

 

Sheesh. What the heck is wrong with people!?

[OneStepAtATime]

Sheesh. What the heck is wrong with people!?

No clue.  And why steal refrigerator parts?

[Twigs]

Here's a fairly recent thread that  might help: LockingTrunk

[Wildcat]

No clue.  And why steal refrigerator parts?

 

Well, ds' college-provided fridge had an extra shelf in it but it was missing the veggie drawer, so maybe it was something like that?  :lol: 

[Wheres Toto]

In my daughters various dorms and on-campus apartments the past few years, ALL the doors automatically lock when you leave.  Kind of like hotel rooms. They get two "freebie" RA letting them back in if they forget their keys, then they need to pay.  Since their id cards are used as door keys, meal tickets, and various other things they usually have them on them anyway.  My dd only had to pay once her freshman year.  (I think the first couple of weeks each semester were also freebies).

 

My dd has a foot locker that she can padlocked and sits under her bed.  It's heavy and too big to easily steal.  She keeps anything valuable in there.

[TravelingChris]

My two youngest had or will have a lockbox.  (this always makes me think of the jokes with AL Gore's election and social security and lockbox ;) )  Anyway, oldest went to a school where he wasn't scared of theft and his room was a mess so no one would find anything.  Middle went to a large state school and wanted a lockbox.  WHen she came home, she left it here because the thing is SOOOO heavy.   Last one is taking it with her.  SHe will be living in a single room like her sister and not even in a suite. But she feels better with a lockbox so she will take it there.   We have no qualms about it being taken.  As she is a girl living on a boy's floor, I don't think she will be keeping her door open due to security concerns of a different nature.  BUt if she does, she is protected.

 

 

Her school has a strong honor code policy, she is not one to talk about her medications or illnesses, and with the lockbox, we don't think there will be an issue.

[Starr]

Dd says the drug dealers are the ones who have lock boxes. More than a mom needs to know. 

[MBM]

My freshman roommate once gave out my medications (mostly OTC) to others when she got drunk. The snooping and stealing ticked me off but also someone could have had a bad reaction especially with alcohol in their system. Maybe you could keep the meds in a book that's been hollowed out. I've seen these for sale or you could make one. I also like the idea of keeping them in a pocket in clothing that's hanging up.

 

[AmyontheFarm]

We opted for a small key locked safe.  She'll be coming home on weekends so we are only sending a 2 week supply with her to keep in her room.  Also, the pharmacy in her college town is with the same company we have in our town.  They will transfer her script up to them and have it filled up there if she has a bad snow storm and can't come home.  She has an atm card to get cash if she needs it but she is so frugal she drives me nuts.  So, I don't expect her to use it much.  We have the kids keep $20 hidden in their cars in of emergency.  She'll only be 1.5 hrs away so the worst is I head up there to bring her more medicine if necessary.

[momofkhm]

I asked my dd about this.  And she immediately asked if it was adderal. (sp?)  If that's it, I guess it does happen. Another possibility:  some kids get an Rx and then sell it.

 

Her advice - don't tell anyone.  And then don't store it in plain sight.  Keep it in a drawer.  And always lock the door.  But she didn't think a lock box necessary.  She's been in the dorm 3 semesters and worked at the housing office.  OH and she goes to the big State Uni.

 

And cash - no one uses cash. Everything is linked to your dorm card.

 

 

[TechWife]

 We have the kids keep $20 hidden in their cars in of emergency.  

 

You might want to have her increase the amount of cash she keeps on hand - tow trucks cost anywhere from $75-$150 around here. The price varies depending on the time of day and the day of the week. 

 

We will probably have DS tell the truck driver to take him to an ATM so he doesn't have to carry that much cash, though. Tow truck drivers don't take credit cards usually. With the advent of square, that might be changing, though. 

[AmyontheFarm]

CAA will help with towing if necessary.  That and Daddy has a flat bed trailer so between the two we can get her home safely! :)

[SparklyUnicorn]

No advice except I do think you need to come up with some sort of a solution.  Unfortunately, I am pretty positive one of my roommates stole some of my clothing.  Kinda crazy that someone would do that, but yep. 

 

 

[Kareni]

My daughter had no issues with thefts from her room during college; however, she said that things had a tendency to disappear from the communal fridge on her floor.  We considered getting her one of these.

 

Regards,

Kareni