Bed Bugs ARGH!

So I've decided that I hate bed bugs a lot. They need to die, and it's kind of RIT's fault that they exist. I mean, sure, a week or two ago they put up little flyers (with little effort put into them. Facts about bed bugs are not symptoms. Proof read!) around campus and handed out cards at all the apartments. They never told anyone that I know that there are actually bed bug infestations on campus. They never told anyone how ridiculously much it sucks to have bed bugs, and even more how much it sucks to get rid of them. Sure, it's fine for the 30% of people who aren't affected by their bites, but for me, a highly allergic person, it sucks a lot. Not to mention, ew! There are bugs in my bed that bite me while I sleep! *shudder like whoa* My friends' apartments in both Riverknoll and Colony Manor are infested, and someone called RIT Rings about a month ago and said that their apartment is infested too. Now my NRH dorm room has bed bugs, because we didn't know that my friends' apartments had them until I had taken them back to my room. As soon as I found one bug, I told my RA, who told his boss, Paul. Now, you would think that, since bed bugs spread so much, they would want to get the exterminator in, like, next day? No, it's a week and a half later and I was finally contacted by Paul and told that the exterminator would be in on Monday. Meanwhile, I have to wash everything I own in overcrowded dorm laundry rooms and leave it "somewhere else" until after the extermination. I'm not sure exactly where I'm supposed to leave them, since all of the other places I frequent have bed bugs as well. Am I just supposed to leave all the clothes I own in the hallway? Maybe I'll ask Paul if I can use his office as a closet for a bit.

Anyway, I think that RIT's students should be more informed, and RIT should be better about treating the infestations. It's not like I'm not trying to help them. I realize just how much money this is probably costing the school, which probably means rent will be higher next year. Honestly, though, RIT could be doing a much better job about handling this. I think we should find out just how many residences on campus really have bed bugs, and, since it took about a month and a half to figure out any of us had them, I think that RIT should do bed bug inspections. They do fire inspections. Honestly, I'm more worried about the bug infestation that the fact that there's a poster on my ceiling or an extension cord in my room.

So for anyone that thinks they don't have bed bugs, listen up! If you have random bug bites and you're not really sure where they're from, especially if they're in a line or in clusters, and most likely where your skin was exposed, since bed bugs go for easy places, you should check for bed bugs. Heck, check anyway, you want to know, don't you? If you have white or light colored sheets on your bed, look for little dark smudges (poop spots. Again, yuck!) and look in the seams of the fitted sheet. If you see any black dots, pick one up and see if it's a bug. If it is, call Housing right freaking now. You're in for some fun times. Also, for god's sake, don't pick up couches that are by dumpsters! That's how the Riverknoll apartment got bugs! If you're that desperate for a couch, at least inspect it hardcore before you bring it into your house, or go to Goodwill, where they spray furniture before selling it. I'm not sure how effective the spray is against bed bugs, though, so I would still do a thorough inspection of any upholstered item you want to bring in.


Anyone else suffering from bed bugs at RIT should reply to this blog. Tell me where you live! I want to know the true extent of the problem. If you don't want other people to know your address, and that you have bed bugs, just tell me which building/floor or apartment complex you're in, and how bad the infestation is. Tell me what RIT's done about it, how long you've had them, and if they're gone yet.