Student who sent 100th lost email speaks out

Everyday, countless numbers of lost emails hit the inboxes of Uni students. Students have seen them all: some are trying a bit too hard to be funny, sometimes they’re straightforward, and maybe they’re even a bit worried. With the amount of mail sent everyday, some messages are lost in the shuffle, never to be seen. One such example is much more significant than you might’ve thought: on Wednesday, Feb. 28, subfreshman Demitrius Urban sent the 100th lost email of the 2017-2018 school year. The Gargoyle sat down with Urban to find out his thoughts behind the email, what he thinks about the lost email culture in general, and what makes him tick.

“Really, I was just hoping I would get the mouse back,” said Urban.

Demitrius Urban is playing League of Legends with laser-like focus during our interview (despite my insistent requests for him not to do so), and has a laid-back attitude about him.

When he found out that he sent the 100th lost email, Urban says, “I laughed. I thought it was a joke. Then I realized it wasn’t.” Yet despite the significance of the email, Urban doesn’t really think of it as a big deal.

“It’s just luck… It’s like the ‘hundreth contestant gets to do something’ in like some kind of raffle or whatever… but it’s just luck,” according to Urban.

Never having sent a lost email prior, he only decided to hit ‘send’ after realizing he had really misplaced his mouse.

“I set it down to the side of me in 106 South, and then I never picked it back up,” Urban says. “So I was like, oh dangit. That’s annoying,” ultimately deciding that “if I wanted to get it back, I figured I should send an email. So I sent an email.”

He didn’t nail it on his first try, however, admitting that “I didn’t put my locker number, cause I didn’t know what it was. I should’ve added that.” This isn’t even the first mouse Urban has lost. “I lost another mouse… I have no clue where it went. It could be at my house, it could be here. I don’t know.”

Urban’s email somewhat differs from those usually sent by subbies. He forgoes any extravagance– rather, he keeps things short, sweet, and to the point.

“Basically,” Demitrius explains, “I’m saying, ‘Yeah, I lost it. Now, I want it back at some point.’”  While he doesn’t understand the funny email craze at times, he seems to have a good sense on where it’s coming from.

“It doesn’t make sense to confuse people about what’s actually going on… [but] some people like to have a sense of humor, and they wanna keep it. The longer you spend at Uni, the more serious you get, so I guess since [subbies] haven’t been at Uni that long, we’re a little less serious in sending the emails,” he offers.

Urban understands that people are perplexed by the use of ‘irresponsible subbie’ in seemingly every email (including his), and he explains that “[Subbies] think hating on themselves will make people pay more attention to their emails… I think that’s just our class.”

Urban doesn’t think the email has changed his life, nor does he think he’s a hero.

“Really, it’s just luck,” he persists. Despite all of this, he still has yet to find the mouse.

“I still haven’t gotten it back,” Urban says sadly. “I’m probably never gonna get it back.” He thinks about it for a bit more. “I mean, hopefully I’ll get it back at some point,” he concludes before turning back to League of Legends.  Indeed, hopefully he will.

Demitrius’ email can be found on the Gargoyle bulletin board, located on the first floor. You can also search for the email (entitled ‘Lost Mouse’) in your Uni email inbox.