Hello!!
Things have been going really well in the realm of 1st Shilling. I'm not sure where to start with this update, so I will just start to ramble and try to list as many things as I can remember!
Last night I held a "1st Shilling Hits the Books!" program. This will be a weekly (or bi-weekly) program where the residents of my floor and I will all study together in the Shilling Study Lounge. I started the program initially because a lot of my residents (at least 7) and I are enrolled in PSY 100, Intro to Psych. We had our first exam this morning (it was way easy) and so I decided to host the program for all of us to get together to go over the material. The program ended up being opened up to anyone who wanted to come, and 13 of my residents attended! It went really well, and those of us covering Psych went over a ton of stuff and answered a lot of questions. It was pretty fun, too. My residents expressed to me later that they felt really confident for the test. Realizing that for many of them this would be their first college exam, I went over some things to expect on test day (student ID checking, leaving after you finish the exam, etc.) and I think that put a lot of nerves at ease. It was great.
I also worked the desk last night from 11pm-2am and I will do that every Wednesday night. It was long, and boring. But one resident from 5th Ackley was working with me, so that made it a little more interesting.
The residents are still testing the boundaries with me. Two of them were documented for playing hall sports after I warned them several times. Luckily I wasn't the one to document them, but I'm pretty sure they knew I was involved in it. After the documentation, I had a talk with one of them, and just explained the policy again and told him that he was the one who made the decision to keep playing hall sports after I had told him not to. He understood, and I think it was really good to follow up with him after the incident.
I've started to see some really good friendships forming on my hall. I think my residents are really enjoying living on 1st Shilling. I have one open room, for two girls, and I've had some people talking about wanted to move to my floor. It's really nice to hear that the work that I'm doing for my residents and the community I'm trying to facilitate is appreciated.
One thing I think really helps me relate to my residents is the fact that I am very close in age to all of them. I just went through what they are going through now, so it is very fresh in my mind how they may be feeling. I think they feel comfortable talking to me about things because of how close in age we are. I have three residents that are older than me, and a few that are only a month or two younger. Lots of them are only 7 or 8 months younger than me.
Other than that not much to report! School is going well. I'm very busy...but loving every minute of it!!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Classes
Classes have started at WMU! They started Tuesday, Sept. 8th. I have a pretty decent schedule, three classes M/W, 10am-4pm, and then only one classes T/R 9:30am-10:45am. 15 credit hours, so nothing too time consuming. I'm hoping to 4.0 this semester. We'll see.
I have Psych 100, Intro to Psych, this semester. In this class are at least three of my residents, and a lot of other residents are in Psych 100 at a different time. It's convinient, and I think I will organize study sessions with them. It's a program...and a good way to connect with them. A lot of my residents are really excited about classes, which makes me happy. Even some residents who I didn't think would be very excited about them actually are.
I co-ran my first RA program on Tuesday...Speed Friending! We didn't expect a lot of interest because it's the beginning of the week, first day of class, etc., but we actually had 20 residents attend the program! It went really well too...they were talking and laughing and I think they made friends. I had six of my residents there, too, which was encouraging. I'm co-hosting another program tonight, Showstopper Doorstopper, where we will paint door stoppers to keep the doors open so that community is developed on the floors. It's already showing a lot of interest...I hope we don't run out of door stoppers!
That's all for now. I already have homework to do...and an exam next week. Awesome.
I have Psych 100, Intro to Psych, this semester. In this class are at least three of my residents, and a lot of other residents are in Psych 100 at a different time. It's convinient, and I think I will organize study sessions with them. It's a program...and a good way to connect with them. A lot of my residents are really excited about classes, which makes me happy. Even some residents who I didn't think would be very excited about them actually are.
I co-ran my first RA program on Tuesday...Speed Friending! We didn't expect a lot of interest because it's the beginning of the week, first day of class, etc., but we actually had 20 residents attend the program! It went really well too...they were talking and laughing and I think they made friends. I had six of my residents there, too, which was encouraging. I'm co-hosting another program tonight, Showstopper Doorstopper, where we will paint door stoppers to keep the doors open so that community is developed on the floors. It's already showing a lot of interest...I hope we don't run out of door stoppers!
That's all for now. I already have homework to do...and an exam next week. Awesome.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
The First Weekend of Residents
It's Saturday and most of the residents are out of the building. A lot of them went home because it's Labor Day weekend.
My first duty night was this past Thursday. My duty partner is Todd, a second-year RA. Duty started out slow. We delivered some microfridges, check all the fire extinguishers, went through every floor, and basically made sure the building was secure. We then got a message from one of the other RAs on staff about the possibility of drinking on her floor. It turns out that there was an incident on her floor. We dealt with it, and Todd took charge while I went over policy and got the residents' information. We had a similar situation later that night on a different floor. We also experienced our first situation involving the police and EMS.
It was an eye-opening experience to how the year will go. We can expect a lot of alcohol-related issues to happen during our Thursday night duties. "Thirsty Thursday" is notorious for this. Didn't get a lot of sleep, but learned a lot, and hopefully if we crack down right now from the beginning residents will realize that their negative and illegal choices won't get them very far.
Classes start on Tuesday.
My first duty night was this past Thursday. My duty partner is Todd, a second-year RA. Duty started out slow. We delivered some microfridges, check all the fire extinguishers, went through every floor, and basically made sure the building was secure. We then got a message from one of the other RAs on staff about the possibility of drinking on her floor. It turns out that there was an incident on her floor. We dealt with it, and Todd took charge while I went over policy and got the residents' information. We had a similar situation later that night on a different floor. We also experienced our first situation involving the police and EMS.
It was an eye-opening experience to how the year will go. We can expect a lot of alcohol-related issues to happen during our Thursday night duties. "Thirsty Thursday" is notorious for this. Didn't get a lot of sleep, but learned a lot, and hopefully if we crack down right now from the beginning residents will realize that their negative and illegal choices won't get them very far.
Classes start on Tuesday.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
The Residents Have Arrived
The residents are here and it's the beginning of Welcome Week!
Check-in was definitely an experience. The freshmen came in to the room very timid and scared-looking. All the RAs were seated around the room at different stations. My job was mainly to talk about room inventories (checking for damages in the room) and passing out keys. We had two days of check-in, Monday from 9:00am-5:00pm, and Tuesday 9:00am-5:00pm. It was hectic, and exhausting. After they checked in the freshmen set up their rooms. Occasionally I could go around my floor and see if anyone needed help. This was a good way to meet the residents and their families. What was interesting about check-in was that we didn't really have problems with residents, but their parents were not easy to work with. Angry mothers would storm into the check-in area and demand immediate attention for an issue that really didn't have to do with the RAs...such as internet hook ups and the "safety" of the building.
So far my floor is great. I have identified some natural leaders who are very social on the floor. I have also identified some residents who are more timid and might need a little help getting out onto the floor.
It's really awesome to see the residents filling out their "About Me" sheets that I hung outside the doors, and one resident even mentioned how much she liked the door decs and everything I've done so far with the floor. It makes the 8 hours of work spent on door decs worth it.
I've got a lot of work coming up in the next couple of weeks. How things go on the floor in this beginning time period will set the tone for the entire year. I'm going to try to emphasize open doors and communication between residents. I've seen a couple of my residents talking to each other or eating together on a few seperate occasions, and that's great. The connections they make early on are crucial to how they feel about their living arrangements. No conflicts...yet.
Tomorrow will be busy...I've got work to do in the SAA office from 9:30am-it's done, then RA Olympics (the last bit of training) at 1pm. Then I am going to try to make it to the SAA session during Fall Welcome interest sessions at 2:15pm, and then planning for next week's programs and creating shopping lists, then Project RSO for SAA during Fall Welcome at 9:30pm-11pm. It's going to be a busy day, but hopefully a good one!
Check-in was definitely an experience. The freshmen came in to the room very timid and scared-looking. All the RAs were seated around the room at different stations. My job was mainly to talk about room inventories (checking for damages in the room) and passing out keys. We had two days of check-in, Monday from 9:00am-5:00pm, and Tuesday 9:00am-5:00pm. It was hectic, and exhausting. After they checked in the freshmen set up their rooms. Occasionally I could go around my floor and see if anyone needed help. This was a good way to meet the residents and their families. What was interesting about check-in was that we didn't really have problems with residents, but their parents were not easy to work with. Angry mothers would storm into the check-in area and demand immediate attention for an issue that really didn't have to do with the RAs...such as internet hook ups and the "safety" of the building.
So far my floor is great. I have identified some natural leaders who are very social on the floor. I have also identified some residents who are more timid and might need a little help getting out onto the floor.
It's really awesome to see the residents filling out their "About Me" sheets that I hung outside the doors, and one resident even mentioned how much she liked the door decs and everything I've done so far with the floor. It makes the 8 hours of work spent on door decs worth it.
I've got a lot of work coming up in the next couple of weeks. How things go on the floor in this beginning time period will set the tone for the entire year. I'm going to try to emphasize open doors and communication between residents. I've seen a couple of my residents talking to each other or eating together on a few seperate occasions, and that's great. The connections they make early on are crucial to how they feel about their living arrangements. No conflicts...yet.
Tomorrow will be busy...I've got work to do in the SAA office from 9:30am-it's done, then RA Olympics (the last bit of training) at 1pm. Then I am going to try to make it to the SAA session during Fall Welcome interest sessions at 2:15pm, and then planning for next week's programs and creating shopping lists, then Project RSO for SAA during Fall Welcome at 9:30pm-11pm. It's going to be a busy day, but hopefully a good one!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Desk Workers, Bronco Buddies, and Marching Band...Oh My!
Today is the day where students in the Bronco Marching Band, returning students volunteering to be Bronco Buddies, and Desk/Office workers move in. It's been pretty busy this morning, and there continues to be a lot of traffic throughout A/S.
I've gotten some more residents! By the end of the night I think I'll have six residents moved in...perhaps more. They're all really nervous I think. They come in to the office and timidly ask "Is this where I check in...?" It's really cute.
Other than that nothing really exciting is going on today. We have desk training later tonight from 7-10pm. I'm going to try to talk with as many residents as possible tonight. One of my suitemates, Cheyenne, has moved in. Now I have to share my bathroom. Darn.
I've gotten some more residents! By the end of the night I think I'll have six residents moved in...perhaps more. They're all really nervous I think. They come in to the office and timidly ask "Is this where I check in...?" It's really cute.
Other than that nothing really exciting is going on today. We have desk training later tonight from 7-10pm. I'm going to try to talk with as many residents as possible tonight. One of my suitemates, Cheyenne, has moved in. Now I have to share my bathroom. Darn.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
My First Resident
Well, it's Saturday which means that training is almost over...thank goodness. The residents will move in starting August 31st at 9:00am. However, some residents, those that are Fall Welcome Ambassadors (sophomores and above who will be leading FW groups), front desk workers, and students working in the office, move in early. In fact, I now have one resident. This resident has lived in Shilling since his freshman year, which was three years ago. He's over 21, which means he can drink in his room, but his roommate cannot. I actually had a really good conversation with him the day he moved in (yesterday) and once again my job became very real to me. It was easy to talk to him, though. I asked simple but interested questions about school, his home town, etc., basically all the things I will talk to every other resident about. But it went well!
On the schedule today we'll be having our last centralized lunch with the other residence hall RAs and doing a lot of in-hall preparations. That all won't start until about noon, but I am up early to finish up room stuffers which are brochures, cable channel listings, light switch stickers to promote energy conservation and other simple things on the to-do list.
I'm not as exhausted as I have been, and I've even gotten used to getting up at 8:00am everyday. Note to Mom and Dad -- 8:00am is very different than the 11:00am+ I was waking up during the summer :-P.
On the schedule today we'll be having our last centralized lunch with the other residence hall RAs and doing a lot of in-hall preparations. That all won't start until about noon, but I am up early to finish up room stuffers which are brochures, cable channel listings, light switch stickers to promote energy conservation and other simple things on the to-do list.
I'm not as exhausted as I have been, and I've even gotten used to getting up at 8:00am everyday. Note to Mom and Dad -- 8:00am is very different than the 11:00am+ I was waking up during the summer :-P.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
I don't even know what day of the week it is.
For the past few (well, more like six or something) days, my life has been non-stop RA-related activities, as expected during our 10-day training schedule. We literally get up and get ready, then have training from, on average, 9:00am to about 10-11:00pm. We get an hour for lunch and an hour for dinner. Occasionally we get out early, like tonight for example, we were done about 8:00pm so I went and saw a movie with Jeff.
I think I have pretty much everything done...still waiting on my list of residents before I can finish writing out the door decorations and hanging all those up. We will probably get those tomorrow.
So far the sessions we have attended have been...mildly entertaining... Most of it I feel like is being way overdone, and sitting in the same chair for about five hours gets old very quickly. All the information is vital, though, so at least training is worthwhile. I've had a lot of questions answered and really gotten to know the other RAs I'll be working with this year. I've actually made some pretty good friendships, I think.
Tomorrow is another long day so this will be a short post, but I wanted to update everyone a little before it got too late into training.
I think I have pretty much everything done...still waiting on my list of residents before I can finish writing out the door decorations and hanging all those up. We will probably get those tomorrow.
So far the sessions we have attended have been...mildly entertaining... Most of it I feel like is being way overdone, and sitting in the same chair for about five hours gets old very quickly. All the information is vital, though, so at least training is worthwhile. I've had a lot of questions answered and really gotten to know the other RAs I'll be working with this year. I've actually made some pretty good friendships, I think.
Tomorrow is another long day so this will be a short post, but I wanted to update everyone a little before it got too late into training.
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