We all have the right to check our mail, but some of us on campus can’t right now because of problems with Residence Life and the post office.

The first week of school, my suitemate Nidia and I attempted to check our mail together as what we thought would be a simple bonding activity.

However, our motivations changed after we tried to unlock every single mailbox, and our key wouldn’t fit any of them.

Our key problem sent us into a circle of communication when we went to our Resident Assistant, who sent us to Residence Life, who sent us to the post office, who yelled at us and sent us back to Residence Life. And so the cycle of yelling and redirection began.

The point of the matter is that we have not been able to check our mail since we moved into our apartment. But we aren’t alone. I’ve talked to other students on campus who have had problems, and Residence Life has told me that other students have had problems with their keys.

I really just want my mail. There could be important things in there – like a job offer – and my grandmother usually sends me letters and cards, which I love. Sometimes they have gift cards in them – an added bonus.

It’s ridiculous. It is early November, week 12 of the semester, and I still haven’t had the opportunity even to throw away my junk mail.

The good news is that I’ll get my mail soon. The bad news is that Residence Life told me Monday that I have to call the post office (again) and that I’ll have to pay $10 or $11 for a new key. 

I’m glad my problem will be fixed soon, but I have an issue with the length of time it took, the chaotic process and the money it’s going to cost me.

Residence Life needs to have directions posted somewhere for how students can get new keys if theirs are not working and needs a policy for what to do when students’ keys don’t work. I understand having to pay for a key if I lost mine, but I don’t understand why I’m responsible for paying for the key when it wasn’t my fault that it didn’t work in the first place.

I hope that Residence Life changes how they handle this problem, not only for me, but for other students who have had to go through the process and now have to pay for a key that wasn’t right in the first place.