Really, You Do Have Mail.

 Because electronic communication has been the standard on Planet College for the entire experience of most students, few consider that they may, at times, get and more importantly need mail, the paper kind from the Post Office.  Yet, they and you still do get mail and it is helpful to pay attention to the mail as Elaine learned last year.

A year ago, Elaine and her three roommates went out to celebrate, two of them would be graduating and partying was called for.  When they returned to their rented apartment they cranked up the stereo and the celebration continued.  Around 2:30 a.m. there was a sharp rapping on the front door.  Elaine answered and found herself talking to two large local policemen.  Some one had called about the noise and the officers were taking a report. They asked Elaine's name and a few other questions then told Elaine to keep the noise down and left.

The school year ended and Elaine and her three roommates moved on with their separate lives.

Last August after Elaine had returned to campus for her last semester she drove downtown to pick up some cleaning.  Figuring she'd only be a second she parked and ran into the cleaners without putting any money in the meter.  When she came out of the store there was a patrol car parked behind her car and a police officer was writing a ticket.  Elaine was, of course, dismayed and told the officer, " I was only here for a second."  The officer asked to see her driver's license, took it from Elaine, and went to the patrol car.  She, the officer, returned in a few minutes and said, ' You know, you have a warrant."
Elaine was stunned. The officer finished writing the parking meter ticket, handed it to Elaine and said, "You better get that taken care of."

At the first opportunity Elaine went to the court house, produced her ID and asked about any tickets she might have that she did not know about.  The clerk returned with a print out and said, " Excessive Noise and you never showed up, so, there's a warrant."

After discussing the situation with the clerk Elaine learned that the officers who responded to her former apartment had filed an excessive noise citation and the court mailed it to that address.  Since Elaine never got any mail there anyway she had not bothered to place a forwarding address with the local post office, didn't even think of it.  Now,  Elaine had a pretty hefty fine to pay,  totally due to her ignorance.

The essential facts are not everyone and especially not every institution uses e-mail or text.  Some institutions particularly courts and other state and local entities still use the United States Post Office to mail forms, notices and other official and potentially important documents.  If you are still getting all that stuff at your mom's but are no longer living there it is really smart to check your mail box and also determine what mail box, physical mail box, may be receiving your mail.

Put that on your to do list before leaving campus.