Hi, I am new, too! I'm also on a college campus. Good to meet you.

My bike isn't one that people would generally "want" to steal. But I still lock it up, of course! There are a lot of really good ideas on this thread and it's been good for me to have tips on how to prevent theft of things on my bike. I use the bike rack plus milk crate idea in order to carry my things to school. My bike looks completely homely on the bike rack with its huge milk crate on the back...but I figure that it is just protective camouflage, because thieves will not want to mess with a bike with a huge milk crate on the back! The milk crate is kept on the rack by use of strategically placed bungee cords. Yes, very high tech here!!

I like having the milk crate, though, because it lets me put a lot of gear in it and tie it down with bungees. I always seem to have tons of stuff.

Try, if possible, to park your bike in a high-traffic area. I don't know if it sounds counter-intuitive, but thieves hate to be watched. They would rather be in a dark corner somewhere sawing away at your lock than be in front of a building with everyone watching. If your school's bike rack is in one of those "dark corners," see if you can tie it to a railing that is near the front door. You can always ask the building secretary or custodian if that is okay. And I second what everyone is saying: don't leave it somewhere overnight...