I lost my lab keys and the police department sent an officer over to unlock the door. He was prompt and polite even though I was trying to get in around midnight, but he wouldn't let me in because my name wasn't on the door. I'm a PhD student, not the professor, so whatever. But then he refused to look at my key requisition emails and other evidence showing I belonged to the lab and had permission from the PI to be in that specific room.
He seemed to think I was just a weird kid who wanted to get in "to study" at midnight on a Saturday, which was infuriating because I had a time-sensitive project I needed to work on. If he had just opened the door I could have shown him my name on the equipment, on the computers, etc., but he wouldn't listen. I'm even registered as an employee at the university. Now I'm freaking out because I can't take readings tonight and my advisor won't be happy on Monday and data is my life oh my goooood. read more