Taking dolls to school or college?

This is a great thread. ^_^ Rose and I have both applied to College out of the city as well as in for September and I was sort of wondering myself what we should do with our boys Thankfully no matter where we go we'll be living together, and possibly with another friend so roommates aren't an issue. There's some really good suggestions about things to do when you go out though.

Stupidly enough, I hadn't even thought of one of those locked boxes. Which is pretty logical, especially if you're living in an area with a not so great track record.

 

I have my doll with me at University, though I've never taken her to class or anything. She usually just sits on my desk at home. I share an apartment with a girl in my programme, she's made a few "doll = creepy" comments but mostly just joking, and she stopped when it seemed apparent that I wasn't going to join in (really, it's sitting on my desk so I can hardly think it's a surprise I wasn't going to agree with her, haha). But otherwise she doesn't bother my girl, and my other friends who have been in my apartment think that she's great.

 

^_- Warren's technically at college with me since I live at the dorm.....just that he's never gotten out of my room.

I'd like to bring him out for once before I graduate to take pictures at stuff around my school for memories' sake though. Got to wait until some kind of break when everyone's gone, I guess!

 

I take the kids to my class often :3 I'm only taking one class this semester, master chorale, so nobody minds Shimmy or Natty sitting with me. Kiry doesn't go that often. She plays, but she doesn't sing. X3 The entire bass and tenor sections think i'm loony, but the girls are generally ooing and ahing over Natty. It's his shoes, they think they're awesome. XD

When i take more classes next semester, i'll bring someone with me a lot. I have a general disregard for the public's opinion. If kids can get a bar though their lip and wear their pants around thier ankles, i can tote a doll around, gorramit. >3 Stare at me, i find your disdane ironic and hilarious.​

 

I wouldn't worry at all about people trying to steal a doll, as long as you don't spread around the actual value.
I lived in a rubbishy student house last year, and we where burgled at Christmas. I'd taken my computer and camera home with me (few!), but left my doll Dejin behind in his box.
The burgler had obviously opened the box to see what was inside, gone 'what the hell?' and just left it alone xD. (He took our DVD's - our plates and cups where in front of them in the same cupboard, and he'd moved them and then put them back afterwards, without damaging one! Then the Police caught him a month later lol.)
Most people are quite polite as well, and when they see something unusual like a doll, they usualy ask before they touch. Well, my housemate doesn't come into my room and fiddle with my dolls, as far as I know.... xD

 

Well, I haven't gone off to college yet because I'm still a Junior, but that was a point my mother made. Since I won't meet my roomate until I get there, I won't know what kind of person they'll be. Granted, you could file complaints and such if they take their things, but I'm sure the school isn't going to replace a $669 doll and I wouldn't want a new one. I know I'd bond with Nathaniel and I don't want to get a "new" doll because it wouldn't be the same.

But um, I'm not sure what I'll do yet... I'm hoping for a "party" type of roomate. Now, I'm not a party person. In fact, I hate them. I'd rather read a book or play a video game. But if she spends all her time away, more time for myself. It sounds selfish, but I don't want to share my room more than I have to, so I'm hoping whoever I room with spends all her time out of the dorm and doesn't bring people back. And if she does, they better keep their hands to themsleves. DX

 

I had Ilú with me when I was at uni in Japan, and I take all three of my boys with me in term-time now I'm back in England too. We don't have to put up with room-mates over here so that hasn't been a problem - in fact, I've had no issues at all with the guys being with me. At my English uni we have a cleaner who comes into our rooms once a week to put things in order (usually while I'm away at lessons) and I've noticed changes in how the guys are posed once or twice, so I do wonder if she's been having a closer look at them, but last time I saw her she gushed over them and exclaimed how pretty they were so there's nothing malicious going on there at all. Two of my friends live in the rooms on either side of me, and they'll often come over to drink tea and chat, and the dolls tend to get picked up and fussed then too - maybe it's because we're all Japanologists and used to 'weird' interests like these, but I've had no troubles there either. Everyone who sees Ilú seems to love him, and he's the one people focus on to cuddle and pet. I've never had any other reactions to him from anyone.

I don't know if I'd be comfortable bringing my guys along if I did have to share a room, particularly if it was with someone I didn't know all that well, but as it is I'm much more uncomfortable at the thought of leaving them at home for months while I'm not there than taking them with me and taking extra precautions to keep my door locked while I'm not there.

 

I'm about to head off to college next fall, and I'm expecting to get my Kiss before then. I don't really think I'll have much of a problem with roomates. One of the colleges my friend is going to, and she has a doll herself (if we land in the same room, no problem). And since I'm going to an art college, I think my roomate will understand the art behind the dolls and not bother mine. lol at least I hope that's how it's going to be. I'm breaking my back to get my first doll, if it disappeared or got destroyed by my roomate, I dunno what I'd do...

 

Yea don't let the "art" in art college make you drop your guard. I've found plenty of people at my school who are close minded on things I expected others would be more accepting of. In reality, art schools are full of the same people that any other school is. You have just as many "labels" and opinions and as much variety as any other school would. ^^;

The best bet is to call or contact your roommate ahead of time and talk to them. Get to know them a bit. Decide who is bringing what for the room. Somewhere in that convo you can discuss your hobbies and interests and bring up your doll. From there you can work out what you will do about your doll.

I got lucky and didn't start collecting until I was already in college and my first roomate didn't mind the two dolls I had, and my sophomore year roommates were somewhat interested but didn't mind as I kept them in my room, and this year my friend is my roommate and she collects too so we keep the BJDs in the living room.

 

I'm one of those people that doesn't really like to let others know that I collect dolls, so Frankie stays at home when I'm at school. She doesn't really have an clothes right now anyway, so I'm not missing the chance to take lots of pictures of her or anything anyway.

Next year, though, someone from this board might be coming to my school and dorming with me, and if she does, you bet my whole crew will be sitting in my room. I've never had any problem with having expensive things in my room. With my Gamecube, PS2, laptop and desktop, and digital camera, everything has been safe and I've never worried about anything getting stolen. Maybe it's because our doors open with cards like in hotels, so it's a little extra safe than having keys.

 

I'd say, dun be afraid w ^^
I've bring my girl few times to school, reactions of ppl were various, often questios were like: does she do anything... Some ppl laughed and some ppl were very very curious of her (they touched her, looked at her very carefully, "omg she has fingernails!" and so on)
I had to tell them that this doll is a collection type of a doll, like a porcelain ones, but she's more durable heheh~ When I was saying that it's a collection type of a doll, they've been usually more relaxed and the price of her wasn't shocking that much heh.
It's ur passion, dolls, there is nothing to be afraid of it ^^
If ppl wont understand, just means they are not worth of you talking to them heheh ^^;;

 

I've never lived in a dorm, but I did used to share an apartment with two other people. We lived together for 8 months without any incidents of theft... and then the week before I moved out, my laptop power adaptor was stolen.

I vote for leaving your doll safe at home. Even if your roommate doesn't mind your dolls, she'll probably have friends over sometimes and you never know that they might do.

Whatever you do, don't tell anyone how much the doll is worth. Then if theft does occur, they'll only go for your computer, TV, whatever else electronic you have.

 

If I did share a room, I'd be a little iffy about bringing them with me. Especially since my last roommate (before I moved back home) constantly had her boyfriend over. I mean, I'd wake up in the morning and find this strange guy standing at the foot of my bed, staring. I only stayed for a month before I left.

 

I agree with Krecik, if ur gonna live in a dorm and have ur doll there, dun tell ppl how much it is worth. ^^;
I live at house not dorm, so me telling my uni-mates how much it;s worth is not a problem (they usually buy expensive stuff themselves).
But dorm is different place then ur own home~

 

Yeah even if they aren't the average 4 year college, people are still bigoted. I go to a design and tech school, which I thought wouldn't mind the fact that I dress very bright and out there, but I still get snickers and stupid glares. I don't think the fashion part of my school will mind my doll when I bring her to school since we drag around manniquins already which some are really creepy.

 

That sounds upsetting. ^^'

 

Well, it did make me appreciate home more, in a kind of, "Mom, don't ever EVER kick me out of the house, PLEASE!!!" kind of way.

 

I'm also someone who prefers that people don't know about my doll, but so far I have been completely successful in hiding him. The lucky thing for me is that I have the upper bunk in a bunkbed, so that whenever I'm out I just leave him up there, and he's entirely invisible - the bunk is quite high up. It does make it harder to play with him, but I'll take him out when my roommates are out, or I'll take him to the room of a friend who's doll-tolerant. XD;

 

Well, I have my boy here in my dorm with me, and I haven't had any problems. Since I bought him fairly recently, I didn't even think about "bringing him to college" since I was already here. ^^

What I can say is that people who break into dorm rooms aren't looking for dolls. Unless you're very, very open about how much s/he is worth, the average thief just won't know. I'm careful to lock my door when I go out, and my roommate does the same. If we get broken into, though, I feel fairly confident that my TV, laptop, playstation, dvd player, scanner, etc. will be taken long before my doll would even be considered. Obviously I don't WANT that to happen, but it's worth taking into consideration.

As far as roommates go, I don't worry about it too much. I keep Luka on my side of our room, and I certainly don't force my roommate to take an interest in him or anything like that. If she wanted to look at him, I'd be more than happy to let her, but we've achieved something of a peaceful coexistence. It's very helpful to state in advance what the "rules" are, in terms of what stuff can be shared and what's off-limits, and to make sure that you're always respectful of your roomie's stuff.

If you're nervous about it, I would suggest leaving your doll at home for the first few weeks, just until you get used to your new living situation and can get to know your roomie(s). Besides, the first few weeks of the first year of college are stressful enough without also worrying about your doll being damaged or stolen!

 

I don't have a roommate but at college, I constantly have people coming in and out of my room because I do proofreading favors for a lot of the girls on my floor. They're right on my desk next to my laptop so anyone who comes in my room always notice them at some point. Ever since I've been at school, I've always gotten either positive responses (aka "Oh my god, they're so pretty!") or they don't acknowledge them at all and just accept them as normal, probably out of an effort to not come off rude (which I respect).

Unless your roommate or whoever else might be in your room is already a degenerate, then you shouldn't run into any problems. Doll or no, you should expect someone that is sharing your space to respect the dignity of your belongings.