By Harrison Stites
As members of our community graduate or otherwise move on from their time at WashU, it can be tempting to ignore or put off the things you need to do here as you look forward to the path ahead. WashU’s Office of Information Security offers you some tips and tricks to help you secure your digital footprint before you take your next step.
Import Your OneDrive
Student OneDrive data is deleted within 24 hours of graduation. Import your OneDrive to an external hard drive or a cloud solution (such as Box or Google Drive) to ensure that you still have access to any relevant work or documents. You never know when you will need a writing sample, picture, or other documents from your WUSTL OneDrive, and a hard drive or a cloud solution ensures that you will still have access to important documents even after you lose access to OneDrive.
Update Accounts to Include Alternate Email
Update your other accounts to use non-WashU email addresses for primary logins. Although you permanently retain access to your WUSTL email account, switching to another primary email for your other accounts may make it easier for you to continue receiving key correspondence from important accounts (e.g., banking, streaming, and professional software).
Add an Auto Response to Your @wustl Email Telling People Where You can be Reached
If you do not plan to continue to use your @wustl email address as your primary email, create an auto-response to your emails letting people know the best address where you can be reached. This will allow you to continue to receive important communications without receiving all communications sent to your @wustl address. If you would like to receive all emails from your @wustl address but still use another account as your primary email, you can set up your @wustl address to forward everything to your new primary address.
Securely Dispose of Papers
Make sure that you securely dispose of relevant or confidential paper documents, especially those with bank or protected medical information. Use a cross-cut shredder or find a secure shred bin at an office supply store. This will ensure that this information doesn’t fall into the wrong hands after you dispose of it.
Wherever your path takes you, remember to protect your data and personal information along the way. Good luck and congratulations, graduates!