Campus Conversations

David's been reunited with his ID card

January 26, 2012

Like going on vacation and missing your beloved pet, I've missed having the opportunity to use my college issued ID card. You might be saying to yourself, gee that's a strange analogy, but let me enlighten you.

  • My ID card has provided me with years of satisfaction
  • Whenever it has been misplaced, I've frantically gone searching for it
  • And it always seems to find its way back home
  • It faithfully follows me wherever there's food

Now that I'm back on campus after a semester abroad, I get the chance to use it again. Not only has it literally opened doors for me but my ID card has followed me for my entire college career thus far. Oh, if plastic RFID cards could talk this one would have a lot of stories. Life began back in August 2009 when it emerged from the printer warm and soft. I had been badly sunburned in the days before my photo was taken for the card, a memory I get to relive every day when I glance at the sun-stricken photo of myself. Carried on a lanyard amongst my keys, the card has become faded and scratched over the years. A hole punched in it to attach it to a key ring has since torn and underwent many rounds of plastic (tape) surgery to correct it. Dropped, swiped, pulled and prodded, the card has been assigned as my key to a catalog of rooms and buildings on this campus. It's followed me along on early morning shuffles to the omelet bar and late night chocolate milks at The Coffee Cart. So here's to you plastic ID card--I hope we can enjoy another reliable 18 months together.