Temple Now

1. Get out. Dorms close Wednesday, Dec. 16, at 7:00 p.m. We hate to see you leave, but we’d really hate to see you fined for hanging around for too long.

2. Take out your trash, remove all perishable items (including that nasty half-eaten burrito in your fridge), lock your windows, shut the shades, kill the lights and lock the door. And make sure to take all of your valuables with you when you go.

3. Unplug electronic devices and appliances, including that mini-fridge (see “remove all perishable items,” above; the fridge will thaw over break and be a real mess if not cleaned out before you unplug and go).

4. Do your laundry before your leave or take it home with you—gym socks do not age well.

5. Bid farewell to your RA and officially check out of your dorm. If you bounce without saying bye, you’ll be fined.

6. Come back. We know your mom’s a great cook and all, but we’ll miss you. Dorms reopen Sunday, Jan. 10, at 10 a.m.

Off-campus students, what you do before you go is really between you and your landlord, but we have a few suggestions.

1. Clean out your fridge if you’re leaving for more than a couple of days. The kale won’t keep, trust us.

2. Wash your dishes. Again, trust us.

3. If you’re going to be away for more than a few days, have the post office hold or forward your mail. Stacks of bills outside your door are like a welcome mat for thieves.

4. Lock all windows and doors but don’t kill the lights—put them on timers instead so it looks like someone’s home.

5. Pull the shades and bring any portable electronic devices with you.

6. Unplug devices/appliances that don’t need power while you’re gone and turn down the thermostat and water heater (many of them have “vacation” settings specifically for this) to save energy. Mother Earth thanks you in advance.

7. Leave a key with a trusted friend who can pop by and check on the place.

8. Make sure your smoke detectors are functioning; you want to return to a house, not a pile of ashes.

9. Don’t forget Fido and Fluffy. If you own pets and are not bringing them with you, line up someone to care for them while you’re away.