Security in the Dorm Room

LuthienTinuviel · 08-10-2009, 02:10 PM

What do most people do to keep things secure (important papers and things like that)? Are trunks with locks often used (is there even room to keep a trunk without it being in the way)? How about safes? Or are desk draws just used to hold everything?

frutiaspice · 08-10-2009, 02:12 PM

Usually people just lock their doors if they step out. I feel super safe in my dorm and if I'm physically inside the dorm, I don't even bother locking my door if I step out.

la montagne · 08-10-2009, 02:40 PM

Yeah, I agree. I know some people who never ever lock their doors (though I wouldn't suggest this). If you want to get some kind of lock box for important papers and things, that would be good, but a trunk is probably not necessary.

Star* · 08-10-2009, 04:22 PM

I definitely don't think its necessary to get a trunk to put stuff in, but if you wanted to you could probably fit it somewhere in your room (lofting your bed a little and sticking stuff under it always works). But I'm one of those people who never locks their door (although I probably should...), and I've never gotten anything stolen.

jessiehl · 08-11-2009, 09:58 AM

Honestly, I didn't bother to lock my door, and I never had anything stolen. Nor did I hear of any hallmates having anything stolen, though I heard of 1E having thefts. EC has no elevators, and no thief with a lick of sense would go all the way up to the fifth floor of a building with no elevators to steal things that could be found just as easily on the first.

However, not everyone has that sort of natural defense for their stuff. I'd say, lock your door when you go out if you think there's enough risk to care, put papers in a lockbox if you want. I'm not sure I knew anyone who went beyond that, though a couple of people rigged up high-tech lock systems (e.g. fingerprint reader locks) for their doors.

over30 · 08-11-2009, 06:41 PM

I don't think either of my boys ever lock(ed) their doors, unless they were going out of town or something. Maybe it's because they lived on the 4th and 5th floors of EC.

Last year one son dropped his wallet somewhere between the athletic center and his dorm. He realized it just as he got back to his room. He had already received an email from another student who not only found it, but brought it to him and wouldn't take a reward. (He didn't know the student.)

quanta · 08-12-2009, 09:53 AM

^^^ Same thing happened to me with my wallet which I inadvertently dropped while biking past Bexley. When i got back to my dorm I had 2 emails from someone who had found it and looked me up on the database to try to return it to me. People are pretty nice here

LuthienTinuviel · 08-12-2009, 08:56 PM

It's great to hear how safe the campus is

I have another question - is it unusual to bring 10+ boxes to MIT? I feel like it's a lot of stuff to have to move from my temp room to my permanent one. Just curious, as I heard some people from the west coast are only bringing 2 suitcases!

molliebatmit · 08-12-2009, 09:45 PM

I brought 14, plus luggage.

They were small -- we got them from the grocery store, and they were boxes to fit a gross of eggs, I think.

Star* · 08-12-2009, 11:43 PM

I brought one big suitcase and another medium size bag, plus a small backpack that I used as a carry-on. I know someone else who drove here with a whole minivan *packed* with boxes. I honestly don't understand how you'd manage to fill so many boxes, but if you feel you need to then it's up to you (remember, you also have to find place for everything in your room). It'll be hard to move 10+ boxes, but there will be a ton of people around to help so it'll definitely be possible.

quanta · 08-13-2009, 09:57 AM

I feel like everyone comes with a ton of stuff like you seem to have but end up bringing half of it back home over summer and breaks, I definitely am leaving a whole suitcase home this summer. There are tons of people to help move and at least in Simmons we have little pushcarts to carry boxes.

bluebird · 08-13-2009, 11:37 AM

what type of things do people bring that they don't end up needing?
Too much clothes?

If you end up in a dorm that does not have a kitchen is a hotplate, microwave, compact fridge, dishes, utensils, and a skillet overkill? (oh and some tupperware)

kryptonsa36 · 08-13-2009, 01:32 PM

Unless I am having a serious lapse in memory, I don't think any dorms DON'T have kitchens.

And officially, you're not even allowed to have things like hotplates and microwaves in your room.

quanta · 08-13-2009, 01:36 PM

^Correct. And yeah I don't think any dorms don't have kitchen facilities. And yes, I think the big thing people originally bring too much of is clothes, especially clothes inappropriate for colder climates for us from warmer temperatures :P Also, random stuff form home you think will be cool in college, don't worry you'll accumulate more "stuff" in college, don't bring random things if you don't have to.

bluebird · 08-13-2009, 03:06 PM

Some large dorms only have one kitchen for everyone so although it may have a kitchen it is not very convenient. I thought I had read that many people had microwaves and hotplates but put them away for the once a year inspection. Is that incorrect?