Ohio State University students in Columbus, Ohio are frantic; and it’s not because finals are just around the corner. There are bed bugs in one of the school’s dormitories. Students had to take a day off from classes, papers and studying for exams to bag and tag all their belongings, wash all their clothes and linens, and relocate to other buildings while the University fumigated.

Fortunately, the outbreak appears to be confined to three dorm rooms, but as a precaution, the University treated three complete floors, disrupting hundreds of students. Rooms will be subject to a three-week fumigation program, all mattresses were destroyed, and students are still unsure when or if they’ll get their stuff back. Some aren’t sure they’ll want it back even if they can have it. With students returning home after finals next week, many moms are wary of them bringing home more than dirty laundry!

OSU isn’t the only campus to be hit by bed bugs this year. College campuses across the nation have had to cope with the easily spread pests. Outbreaks have been reported at campuses in New Jersey, California, Michigan and Tennessee — and those are just the ones that have made the national news recently. Many campuses try to keep the news hush hush. It’s not exactly a selling point for incoming students.

A note to moms. Our best advice when your student comes home:

• Take the clothes and linens right from the suitcase to the washer and launder on hot with a hot dry.
• Vacuum suitcases and backpacks, double bag the vacuum bag in plastic and dispose of it in the outside trash immediately.
• Send the kid from the car to the showers. (It’ll just make you feel better; and after a week of finals, he probably needs it.)
• If you get bed bugs, call Stern Environmental Group.

We’re the bed bug experts. Visit the bed bug page on our website to learn more about these annoying pests. You’ll sleep well tonight when you get “Stern” with your pests.