Wildcard

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“This will become your life. You will take it everywhere.” I specifically remember these words being uttered to me by my overly enthusiastic tour guide about 2 years ago. As she proudly showed off her wildcard to us, I wondered how on Earth this little piece of plastic could have such control over my life. What a naïve high schooler I was…

I thought my tour guide was exaggerating, but my daily morning routine now consists of making sure I: shower, brush teeth, pack books, and securely place my wildcard in my jacket. The lyrics “don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you got ‘til it’s gone” ring very true in today’s technologically dependant society. Last year my wildcard was attached to my room key so it was an absolute necessity that I not misplace it. However, this year I have a combination lock on my door and my wildcard floats freely, unattached to a key, lanyard, or wallet. I realize the risks I take by give my wildcard such freedom but I just can’t bring myself to wearing a lanyard or carrying a purse. As a result, at least every other week I lose my wildcard. Occasionally some nice person will find it and return it to public safety. But more often than not, I am forced to dish out $25 for a new one. It has become a running joke that I pay approximately $25 a week to attend Villanova. In the few days between the disappearance of my wildcard, the wait to see if it turns up, and the purchase of a new one, my life is anything less than convenient. The wildcard’s purpose is to keep all aspects of our life on one piece of plastic. Therefore, when it is lost, so is most of my sanity.

I wipe my friends clean of guest meals because they constantly have to swipe me in to eat. I often have to wait outside buildings until someone else decides to go in. Recently, I had one of my classes in Falvey and I almost wasn’t allowed in because I didn’t have my wildcard. Luckily the man at the desk was very understanding. Weekend nights are the worst because I have to explain why I don’t have my card, my name, room number, etc- sometimes a couple of times a night. I’m pretty sure the public safety officers don’t really like me. This lost card also posed a problem when I went to visit a friend at another school. I wasn’t allowed in the building without a school ID. I have to borrow people’s cards to do laundry because the chip is also attached to this card. I had to pay for some of my books with cash and didn’t get the wildcard discount. I also have my bank account linked to this card so when I lose it I have no access to my money. I usually don’t think about it when I have it, but as soon as I lose it, I realize just how much of an inconvenience it is. I realize it is meant to make our lives easier by allowing the wildcard to serve as so many things, but becoming so dependant on it definitely has its downside. Technology today seeks to make our lives convenient by making everything accessible by one piece of technology. For example, a cell phone serves as a form of communication, alarm clock, calculator, IM, email access, etc- which is all very convenient as long as you don’t become to dependant on it. The wildcard is a similar advancement and it is convenient. I guess the key is to not be absent-minded and lose it all the time.

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