Laptops and College?

[LurkerLisa]

Hola,

I was wondering how college students keep their laptops from being stolen? My daughter wants one for next fall, but when you live in a dorm, what stops someone from taking it? It's my understanding that doors are often left open and people come in and out all the time. Is there a way to "secure" it to something?

Any suggestions would be welcome.

Thank you,

Lisa

 

[monarchsfan16]

Get a laptop lock. Mine is a steel cable that attaches to a combination thing. You set your own combination. Almost all laptops now come with a lock hole. You plug the lock into the computer, and wrap the lock around the desk or some other piece of furniture that makes it difficult to remove. Its fine to leave doors open when she's in the room, but remind her and roommate to lock the door when they leave (or in a dorm like mine, just close it if just going down the hall).
I bought my lock at Staples. You can usually get them at the school if the school has a computer store as well, although the ones they sell here are unlocked with a key, and I definitely prefer the combination to the key.

 

[saturday97]

You might check out the dorms at the school that your daughter is planning to attend. I personally never left my dorm room unlocked. Most of the time I had my own room so it was no problem, but there was a point where I had a roommate who always had friends in our room. A locked file cabinet might do the trick.

 

[momrek06]

My DS has both at his college. He bought himself a (Dell) desktop computer when he was a Freshmen. This year he bought a laptop as the college is WIRELESS. He now has both at the college. He has a LOCK for both as the desktop one, the screen is LCD and is also a tv(?)! I am not sure what you call that...anyway

When going to look at Laptops, DS just bought this at XMAS by Dell and it is a XPS (??) something like that...anyway, it is like 4 oz!! Maybe I am exaggerating..my point you ask: is that he has it with HIM 24/7! His new laptop by DELL is paper thin, and lite weight. Probably the only time he is not using it or has it with him is showering and sleeping. He uses it all over campus!!!

But go to STAPLES and get a LOCK. The clerks there will help you out and explain it all to you. EASY & EASY!

 

[imLissy]

my lappy weights about... 6 pounds I think and I'm a little person, but I feel quite comphy carrying it around with me on my back all the time. lighter than two textbooks I think. (we never have to bring those to class)
but when I go and eat or something, then it stays in the room with a laptop lock. Been doin' the lappy thing for almost two years now, hasn't gotten stolen yet.

 

[applepwnz]

Usually my roommate and I don't keep our door open here, but even if we do, it's only when we're in the room anyways, we always just keep it locked if we're not in the room, and if we're going somewhere for more than a couple of hours we just bring the laptop with us. There seems to be a much bigger problem around here at least with theft of iPods than thefts of laptops anyways.

 

[Garden Stater]

if you get a laptop lock, make sure that you know how to use it. last year when i was at penn state, my mom locked my laptop to a metal loop on my desk. i didn't know how to use the lock and inadvertently reset the combination on it...so before i could go home for spring break i had to go through a lot of trouble trying to dislodge the metal thing from my desk. i ended up taking my laptop home with the lock still attached to it, and then had to try every possible combination to unlock it!

i have since transferred to nyu and in my dorm here, the doors lock automatically when they are shut, and i don't lock my laptop anymore.

 

[faeflora]

Our college supplies laptops to all full time students, and since we are a wireless campus we tend to take them with us everywhere, from class to the dining hall to just chilling in the quad. We really do not have any issues with theft of laptops but we were all given a lock for the computer when they were handed out.

 

[imLissy]

lol, well if anyone has 'em, course no one takes 'em well, i guess people could always sell 'em and stuff.
That must be some fancy school ya go to there. See, knew public school was a bad idea

 

[2Xited4Disney]

This might sound strange to most people at college but:

When I lived in the Residence Halls I never locked my door or locked my lap top...my whole floor was people I knew if someone looked unfamiliar going into my room they would be stopped by one of my friends. Plus I got to a tiny school in Maine.

 

[faeflora]

lol, well if anyone has 'em, course no one takes 'em well, i guess people could always sell 'em and stuff.
That must be some fancy school ya go to there. See, knew public school was a bad idea

Not really a fancy school just a college with a talented president who negotiated a killer deal with a computer company. It's a woman's college so she aimed it at making sure that women get computer savy...it is very cool.

 

[seashoreCM]

Is there a built in dresser that you could affix a lock to, or a lockable closet you can use?

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[baseballgoof]

I go to a California State college and have no problems whatsoever with people coming into dorm rooms without permission. I am not saying there are colleges out there that do have problems with theft, but California State University-Stanislaus has no issues with the topic.

 

[Katius]

Heh, there you are. I was reading the posts and stopped suddenly reading "tiny school in Maine."

As another member of the tiny school in Maine, we've never had problems with theft. I leave my door unlocked sometimes, and sometimes I carry my key. It's pretty laid back. If you're really worried about it, get a laptop lock, but only if it seems like it's necessary...

 

[smileyk8]

Just a quick note to add. The majority of laptops stolen from my campus were the result of an open window not door. People may not be able to get onto your corridor/ block, but they can definately get to the outside. We had loads of cases of ppl literally leaning in thru the window, picking up a laptop and running off. Don't think that fellow students won't steal ur stuff, someone in my halls stole loads of bank details and cloned their accounts. Lots of money lost, student kicked out. Pigeon holes are a bad idea. If your uni/college has them consider having bank letters and cards sent home.

Another vote for laptop locks

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

Personally, I would get a laptop lock. There has to be something in the dorm you can lock it up on. Hopefully you can lock it to a desk or a closet. I never once saw one of those being dragged out of a dorm room. Now chairs, those are a whole different story.

I went to a college where laptops were given out to every student. I never had a laptop lock but I would have gotten one if I saw I needed it. Our dorm doors automatically locked when they were shut. Also, the dorms didn't stay open on their own. Windows weren't a problem because they only opened a tiny tiny bit and also, I was on the 17th floor.

Please don't assume that you can trust everyone in the dorm, roommates and apartment mates included. I have a few stories I could tell of careless people and untrustworthy people.