The Lawrence Apartments do not have a central mail room where you can receive packages without having to sign for them yourself (like in the Graduate College).
USPS will deliver small or foldable items (letters, junk mail, small packages) to your mailbox. If the parcel does not fit into your mailbox, USPS will usually place it before the mailboxes in the lobby. Generally this has not caused any problems, but some packages left in this manner have occasionally gone missing.
If you are using expedited services which require a signature, the carrier won’t be able to deliver the package unless you are there to sign for it. UPS and FedEx usually try to leave the package with your neighbor and leave a notice on your door. Please don’t rely on this regularly, unless you check with your neighbor beforehand–especially if the package is large or you can only pick it up at odd hours or with a large delay. If you are not at home, most carriers attempt delivery another time.
The committee examined the idea of providing a central receiving service in 2007, but was told by the university that it was not possible. Redirecting packages to the Porter’s Lodge at the GC is not permitted–they are already at capacity and cannot receive additional packages.
As a possible solution, many students can receive mail at their department. Please contact your department about their mail policy.
For select high-value shipments, residents have the option to ship their packages to Frist. See the Mail tab in Resident Info for details.