Every semester, dozens of items from water bottles to laptops make their way to the Lost and Found at North Lake Campus. Housed in the Student Life and Engagement office, the service helps reunite students with belongings left behind in classrooms, common areas and hallways.

“Items are turned in usually by students [staff and faculty] alike. We usually get items like chargers and water bottles, small things that are kind of easy to forget if you put them down,” said Ben Donnells, a student worker in the Student Life and Engagement Office.

When an item is turned in, the staff attaches a note with details about where it was found. This ensures items are easier to identify and claim later.

The holding period varies by item. Most belongings remain in Lost and Found for about a semester before being donated or discarded. More important items, such as government IDs or laptops, may be kept for up to a full academic year to allow owners more time to retrieve them.

To claim an item, students are asked to present identification. For items without names, like iPads or similar devices, staff will ask specific questions to confirm ownership.

“Some items, like a lost iPad, might not have a name, so we ask questions based on anything that would discern it to another item of similar make or model,” Donnells said.

Students who have lost their belongings are encouraged to stop by the Student Life and Engagement office in Room H201, right across the Cafeteria and the Blazer Book Store, or call 972-273-3020. Students may just find what they have lost is waiting to be returned.