Lockouts and how to prevent them

Welcome to your new halls of residence! You have your room and with it your keys, cards and fobs... At times it can be quite a lot to handle and easy to forget your keys when you go outside. No need to worry though, we're here to come to the rescue!

Let's start by saying that if you do get locked out of your room/flat, asking the Reception or Security to let you in will take a little bit of time. Think of all the time spent watching you favourite show or chatting to flatmates or studying you will miss! The easiest way to do this is to not get locked out - easy, problem solved. But how are you supposed to remember to take all your keys with you every single time you leave your room?! Here are a few ideas that might help with that.

When you first entered your new room, you might have noticed that there was a welcome pack waiting for you. One of the things that we left in your room before your arrival was a purple Residence Life Team lanyard - you can put your Residence cards in it! If you also have keys, it's really easy to attach them to the lanyard. Now you have all your important things together (try not to lose them, that could be awkward). You can put the lanyard on and carry it around at all times, put it in your pocket... As the lanyard itself is bright purple, you should be able to always notice it and hopefully that alone will remind you to take it with you before leaving! If that is not enough, try having a designated spot in your room that you always keep them - maybe hang it on your corkboard?

Okay, you did all that and it's not working for you or you just think that purple is not your colour? Set up some reminders! Print out a poster reminding you to take your keys and hang it on the back of your door. Set up an alarm in your phone. Put a cowbell on your door (where did you get that from?) - great, whatever works for you.

Another thing that I personally find useful is to leave my keys next to the one thing I always carry with me no matter if I go shopping or to the loo - my phone. If you put your keys together with your phone, you're more likely to remember to take both with you! Obviously, you might not be addicted to your phone as I am, so it can be anything that you always take with you wherever you go. A notebook? Lipstick? Your pet hamster?! You decide!

Even with all these amazing tips you might still end up locking yourself out. Don't panic - what do you think your flatmates are for? Create a groupchat with your flatmates or maybe with all the students living in your building, so that when you are stuck outside in the rain, someone can let you in! Just remember to return the favour when it happens to them - and sooner or later it probably will!