Every person has lost something in their life whether they ended up finding it or it’s lost to the beyond, but is there a way to prevent certain things from getting lost? The answer is yes!
It’s important to consider why people misplace items such as phones, earrings, keys, watches, etc.
Dr. Bill Fischer, an Associate Professor of History here at MSSU, believes that disruptions to our regular routines can lead to forgetfulness regarding the usual placement of these items in our daily lives.
“If you deviate from your routine in some way…you dropped something else off at somebody else’s office, or you took a different car because your wife needed the other car or whatever; that’s when you’re going to lose something when there’s a slight tweak to your routine,” Dr. Fischer said.
In the busy life of a Sophomore at MSSU, Ariel Johnson has encountered her fair share of losing important items. There have been moments when she has forgotten where she placed special things to her, including a set of earrings. That moment doesn’t occur as frequently now that Johnson has uncovered a clever strategy to safeguard her cherished accessories from disappearing.
“Take it off when you get home…put it on your dresser where if they’re like…connected together; that way you don’t lose them,” Johnson said.
A Senior at MSSU, Trenton Hayes, knows the feeling of losing something important all too well. He says that placing things in areas that are memorable, will help with finding his belongings.
“Try to lay them down maybe just a few spots consistently instead of just randomly here and there,” Hayes said.
Everyone has different tips and their own strategies to help them remember where their personal belongings are. For Dr. Fischer, his solution is easy..it requires his wife and his car keys.
“I’m constantly asking my wife, ‘Can I put [my keys] in your purse?’” Dr. Fischer continued and joked that he always carries his keys with him and they are always so uncomfortable, so putting them in his wife’s purse is helpful. “I always keep my phone, wallet, and keys in my pockets…I drive [my wife] crazy because I’ve got a big thing of keys.”
A purse, or even a stylish ‘murse,’ offers a practical solution for keeping all your essentials organized in one secure place. In fact, Dr. Fischer might soon consider adding a handbag to his everyday wardrobe as he recognizes the convenience it provides for safeguarding his keys, wallet, sunglasses, etc.
“Men carrying bags is becoming a little bit more normalized, so maybe I’ll get a nice bag and I’ll start keeping my stuff in there instead of in my pockets…… my advice is to put [keys] in your pocket or get some kind of bag that you take with you everywhere,” Dr. Fischer said.
While there isn’t a universal solution for preventing the loss of personal belongings, there are valuable strategies to minimize the likelihood of it happening. If you do happen to misplace an item in or around one of MSSU’s campus facilities, you can reach out to 417-626-2222 for assistance on any found items.
