So I sat here for like a half hour trying to think of how I was going to talk about the bed bug problem in the dorms. As most of you know, a lot of the buildings in SF get bed bugs because they are old and hard to keep up. The Academy is especially weird about how they take care of the problem, though. Of course, they will check you into an “emergency” room where you are encouraged only to have belongings which you have washed and are clean. I’m surprised they do that at all, actually, what with their track record of handling student affairs. Anyways, I happened to be one of the lucky few who was moved into a dorm, and then awoke with a neat clear little line of bites running down my arm. I called the RD, who is also my boss, and informed him I was covered in itchy bites from my new room. Impossible, he says, because this room was already checked for bed bugs. He decides to come take a look at my arm himself.
Here is a slightly washed out picture of my trophies:
After suggesting that I might have scabies instead and telling me that maybe I should get tested before they do anything, he finally admits that they should have the room checked anyways. Really? That looks like scabies? I spend the entire day bagging up my stuff and trying to close the building out at the same time. Then I’m moved to a temporary room to await the cleaning of my old one. Luckily, a couple days later I left for a pre-planned vacation, so I didn’t have to stay in the new room for more than a couple days. That happened on Monday, the 31st. The room was finally fumigated and heat treated on June 10th. I wouldn’t be allowed back in several days after that fact as well. I have heard other accounts of some students waiting up to a month to get back into their rooms, so I consider myself lucky that it was only two weeks.
If you happen to be a student who finds bed bugs in your room, The Bed Bug Registry Is a rockin’ site where you can upload your finds in an attempt to warn others. I found one account that I mentioned above from a somewhat disgruntled 1080 Bush resident whom I deeply sympathize with.
