It is officially that time of year. Your school stuff is all packed away in boxes, your textbooks are returned, and you are in that summer state of mind.

But then fall comes around again and the re-packing begins. You get it all organized and you’re on your way back to UW-W when suddenly, you realize… you don’t know where your HawkCard is and it’s $25 to replace it!

This happens often when students return to campus from summer break. To help you avoid losing your HawkCard, we have come up with some tips on how to keep track of it over the summer.

  1. Keep it in your wallet. This is probably one of the easiest ways to keep track of your HawkCard. A lot of students like to keep it in their wallet during the school year, as it is a familiar place that you usually have on you all the time. If you are someone who practices this, we highly encourage you to keep it in the same spot as you do during the school year, and that way you’ll know exactly where it is in the fall.
  • Put it in your planner. Planners are a great place to organize your schedules and help a lot of students keep track of exams and due dates during the school year. If you like having a planner and already have one picked out for next fall, keeping your HawkCard in your planner might be a great way to keep it safe.
  • Keep it in your car. If you have a car that you keep on campus, this might be a great place to keep your HawkCard somewhere familiar. We suggest keeping it in your center console or glove box, as your HawkCard has personal information attached to it. Make sure to not leave it on your dash or keep it in direct sunlight, as this could cause your HawkCard to overheat and damage it.
  • Keep it in your backpack for next year. This is another great idea for someone that knows they will be using the same backpack next fall. By leaving it in the pocket of your backpack, you know that your HawkCard will be traveling with you to campus in the fall. However, it is important to make sure it does not get crushed by books or your laptop!
  • If you’re the type of person to easily forget things if they aren’t right in front of you, keep your HawkCard somewhere visible. It is easy to forget about something that is tucked away and hidden. No matter what way you choose to keep track of your HawkCard over the summer, we suggest making sure that it is visible daily. Whether this means taping it to your mirror, keeping it in your wallet, or having it on the top of your dresser.

Here is also a list of things you should NOT do with your HawkCard this summer to avoid losing it or destroying it.

  1. Never use it as a coaster. Summertime is full of cold drinks that form a lot of condensation. The last thing you want to do is possibly ruin your HawkCard by setting a wet drink on it.
  • Never put it in a drawer or somewhere you don’t look a lot if you feel you will forget about it. Like we said above, it’s easy to forget something you’re not looking at all the time.
  • Never bend it. This rule is more of a year-round rule as well, but it is important to remember to not bend your HawkCard. By bending it, you run the risk of it breaking it, which would leave it unusable and lead to needing a replacement. This also means you should avoid putting it somewhere that requires it to be bent to fit.
  • Never ask someone else to hold onto it for you. It might seem like a good idea to ask your previous roommate to keep your HawkCard with theirs, or to ask a relative or friend to hold onto it before fall. But, your HawkCard is full of your personal information and should only be handled and looked after by you. The last thing you want is to ask for your HawkCard back in the fall, only to find out that they lost it or misplaced it over the summer.
  • Never wash your HawkCard in the washing machine. It is easy to forget about the things you left in your pockets but washing your HawkCard can destroy it. Remember to double check your pockets the next time you do laundry!

Overall, your HawkCard is important! It serves as an ID, a way to enter your dorm room, pays for your meals on and off campus, and so much more. Although $25 doesn’t seem like a lot to replace it, we highly suggest finding a way that works for you to keep track of your HawkCard over the summer.  

If you do lose your HawkCard this summer, feel free to contact the HawkCard Office by email (hawkcard@uww.edu) or call them at (262) 472-1437 between the hours of 8 am-4 pm Monday-Friday.