Activities and Community Building
This section is designed to help your community building efforts. The goal of community building is to meet the needs of the residents. Studies show that programming is no longer effective for today's college students. Attending a program does not provide the foundation students need to complete their life project-themselves. Also, many programming and accountability structures do not give credit to the importance of one-on-one interactions.
Residents spend around 80 percent of their time in college outside of the classroom. A resident can be greatly influenced during his/her stay in the residence halls. Where and how a resident lives can have a definite and positive influence upon the resident's total educational experience here at Simpson. As a staff member, you play a vital role in providing residents with an opportunity for growth, development, and social interaction.
The IMPACT of your initiatives on the residents from the moment they arrive on campus through the first six weeks of the semester can not be overstated. Getting your residents involved and connected to Simpson will help them: appreciate and learn from differences, similarity, diversity, and homogeneity; critically analyze and synthesize, and develop a critical consciousness; personal development-compassion, community, cooperation, and autonomy; ability to communicate-writing, speaking, and listening; and social change-understanding, skills, methods, and strategies. Chickering and Reiser in Education and Identity, identify "the first six weeks constitute a critical period for new students in the determination of whether a student is going to stay or leave." The individual outcomes of student involvement are connection, commitment, teamwork, participation, leadership, confidence, and investment in themselves and the community at large.
A quote from the former president of Georgetown University identifies the impact of college: "College is essentially a time of growth, of change. The major part of that change takes place in you. If the college you go to is any good, it will hit you like a ton of bricks. It will leave you to question every conclusion you have reached; it will leave you to deny lots of assumptions and remake them. It will refuse to answer many of your questions because you are asking the wrong things. It will shake your strong places and will blow tons of cold air into all of your warm hideouts? You will be stretched?"
Developing a positive community and making your wing a good place to live are two of your most important responsibilities as an RA. How can you do this? Only by knowing your residents, can you develop a positive community on your floor. You assess and address needs by Observing, Interacting, and Acting with your residents. By observing you can uncover some of the issues your residents are confronting. By interacting you are initiating contact with your residents, and letting residents know that you are approachable. And by acting, you are addressing the needs of the residents-by planning an activity, creating a bulletin board, documenting a situation, or resolving a conflict. Acting involves doing what you think will challenge your residents to grow and develop as students and as people.
This section not only contains activity ideas, but also will help you to plan, implement and evaluate your activities. When a resident's time in college is broken down, eighty percent is spent outside of the classroom. In all probability then, a resident can be most influenced during his/her stay in the residence halls. Where and how a resident lives can have a definite and positive influence upon the resident's total educational experience. Thus, as a staff member you play a major role in providing a resident with an opportunity for growth, development and social interaction.
I. Guidelines
Each RA is required to accumulate a certain number of points during each monthly period of the semester. These points can be accumulated in a variety of ways:
Needs-Based Activity · 5 points
Planned Activity · 3 points
Spontaneous Activity · 2 points
Educational Bulletin Board · 2-3 points
Fun Bulletin Board · 1 point
Door Decs · 1 point
Attend Hall Council Mtg. · 1 point
Special Initiatives/Projects · 1-4 points
Floor/Hall Mtgs. · 1 point
- A needs-based activity is completed by observing the needs of the residents, interacting to confirm the observed need, and intentional acting to address the confirmed needs
- A maximum of 2 points per semester can be from Door Decs, a maximum of 3 bulletin boards per semester can earn points, and a maximum of 5 points per semester can be from Floor/Hall Meetings
- Special initiatives involve SIGNIFICANT involvement in a traditional or new initiative.
- The focus of this model is upon quality not quantity
II. Requirements
Fall Semester
August/September-25 points · October-15 points
-2 Social Activities · -Campus Wide Project
-Hall Meeting
-Floor Meeting · November/December-15 points
-Door Decs · -End of Year Floor Mtg.
-Bulletin Board
-Special Project
Spring Semester
January-15 points · February-10 points
-Welcome Back Social Activity
-Door Decs · March-10 points
-Bulletin Board
April-10 points
-End of year meeting
Each RA needs to fill out a Activity Proposal Form before the scheduled event (activities over $20 need to be approved at least one week in advance), and an Activity Evaluation Form within three days after the event to receive the proper points. A Planned Activity must be prepared two days prior to the activity. These processes help us and you improve in the long run. By assessing what we are doing we can improve our processes. This section is a result of your fellow RA's assessment.
III. Builders
Community Builders · Personal Builders
Residents know each other · Exposure to diversity
Residents Respect Each Other's Rights · Academic Skills
Environment Conducive to Achieving · Leadership Skills
Academic Success · Political Awareness
Positive and Clean Environment · Personal Health and Wellness
Residents Watch Out for Each Other's · Awareness of Alcohol and Drugs
Safety · Understanding Healthy Relationships
Residents are Involved in the Community · Awareness of STD's and AIDS
Residents Support Each Other · Communication Skills
Residents are Comfortable Expressing Ideas · Personal Safety
Environment is Supportive of Diversity · Goal Setting
Residents Respect Each Others' Rights · Financial Management
Residents are Willing to Confront · Interview Skills
Each Other · Career Management
Life Planning
IV. Four Areas
Educational Development
The educational dimension of community building supports and encourages creative and stimulating activities. It is through educational development that the resident uses resources available to expand one's knowledge, improve skills, along with expanding potential for sharing with others.
- Educational development is being able to learn, that is, to be in the process of learning throughout life.
- Learning begins with a spirit of inquiry. This includes curiosity, remembering, organizing, understanding, problem solving, decision making, imagination, and fantasy.
Social Development
The social dimension encourages the resident to contribute to his or her common and physical environment. It also fosters interdependence and commitment to the common welfare of the community.
- Social Development means intentionally building and maintaining good relationships with others.
- Social Development can be maintained by investing regularly in people.
- Learning to be comfortable with all sizes, types and mixes of groups and individuals (one-on-one, small groups, etc.)
- Social Development helps communicate the idea that alcohol is not needed to gain acceptance or to have fun.
Diversity Awareness
The focus of the Diversity Awareness dimension is to develop skills that enable one to recognize, appreciate, and accept differences in others. These differences may be ethnic or cultural, or they may be differences in lifestyle or values. This includes awareness of racism, sexism, heterosexism, ageism, and disabilitism. Differences also include variation in family income, city vs. farm community, large family vs. only child, etc.
- Diversity awareness seeks opportunities to understand and appreciate human differences and similarities.
- Not all people will be accepting of differences right away. This will come in time.
- This dimension does not seek to change attitudes, but increase awareness. It does not eliminate prejudice, but reduces it.
- Remember, there are many people in the "hidden majority", i.e., homosexuals, learning disorders, different religions. You may assume all the residents on your floor are heterosexual or Christian, but your assumptions (whatever they may be) many times are incorrect.
Service Initiatives
The service dimension of community building seeks to develop, promote and implement community service opportunities for and with residents. Residents are supported and challenged not only to live in, but contribute to the greater good of their community, whether on campus or society at large. Through community service initiatives students also are made aware of the needs of real people, as well as the richness and joy of responding to those needs.
- Service projects allow residents to share and examine personal beliefs and values with the intent of growing in their understanding of themselves and others.
- Service enables residents to become more aware of people and situations throughout the world and become a more responsible member of society.
- Service allows residents to examine the current social issues of society and implement responses that challenge prevalent ideology.
V. Ideas
Educational
Museum Trip · Cooking Classes · Financial Aid Info
Laundry Skills · Interviewing Tips · Resume Writing
Income Tax Preparation · Basic Mechanics · Political Issues
Time Management · Test Taking Skills · GRE, MCAT, GMAT Prep
Social
Open House · Potluck Dinner · Progressive Sundae
Costume Party · Trivia Contest · Assassination Game
BBQ · Game Show Night · Ice Cream Social
Roommate Game · Door Decorating Contest · Mural Painting
Pumpkin Carving · Casino Night · Hayride
Diversity Awareness
Kwanza Celebration · Talking Circle · Crossing the Line
Jewish Holidays · Women's Issues · International Event
MLK, Jr. Day · Forum Events · Archie Bunker
Chinese New Year · Color of Money · Movie/Discussion
Cultural Dinner · Cultural Trip
Service Initiatives
Special Olympics · Habitat for Humanity · Neighborhood Clean-Up
Clothing/Food Drive · Christmas in April · Homeless Shelter
Food Pantry · Tutoring · Penny Mile
Hospital Work · Adopt-A-Grandparent · Dance-A-Thon
Literacy Program · Volunteer · Run/Walk/Bike for a Cause
Humane Society · YMCA · United Way
Student Stress Calendar
The cycle of student stress is identified and used to design more suitable activities. This is also a good resource for passive activity ideas.
August/September
- Homesickness - especially first year students
- Roommate conflicts caused by personality differences - lack of understanding and unwillingness to compromise or the new experiences of living with someone for the first time.
- Initial adjustment to academic environment - feelings of inadequacy and inferiority develop because of the discrepancy between high school status and grades and initial college performance.
- Values exploration - students are confronted with questions of conscience over conflict areas of race, drugs, alcohol experimentation, morality, religion, and social expectations.
- International students sense confusion, vulnerability, and lack of any advocate in higher positions while trying to make a successful cultural and academic transition.
- "In-loco Parentis Problems" - students feel depressed because of real or perceived restrictive policies and regulation of the college.
- Campus familiarization - includes becoming familiar with the campus, your classroom's building, meeting places.
- Test anxiety develops with students taking their first college exams, and/or their first test of the semester.
- Dating anxieties result from not being asked out, or not being successful in finding dates.
- Time management frustrations build with students trying to strike an equitable balance between their social and academic schedule.
October
- Freshmen begin to realize that life at college is not as perfect as they were led to believe by parents, teachers, counselors, etc.
- Academic stress from midterms builds with the a great demand for studying and preparation.
- Roommate problems continue, but they are smaller in scope than in pervious months.
- Values exploration continuing, especially in the area of sexuality.
- Non-dating students sense a loss of esteem because so much value is placed on dates. For women who date, the pressure to become sexually active increases and consequently increases feelings of rejection, loneliness, and guilt. This can lead to unwanted pregnancies.
- Job panic for mid-year graduates.
November
- Academic pressure is beginning to mount due to procrastination, subject difficulty, and/or lack of ability.
- Some students have ceased to make attempts at establishing new friendships beyond two or three parasitic relationships.
- Economic anxiety. Funds from parents and summer earnings begin to run out.
- Depression and anxiety increase because of feelings that one should have adjusted to college environment by now.
- Roommate problems may start to emerge again. This is mostly due to the pressure of school; tempers become shorter and people are less tolerant of others.
- Deteriorating health can starts affecting a student's performance. Reasons include the changing weather and either lack of nutritional food choices or the negative feelings about institutional food.
December
- Extracurricular time strain - seasonal parties, concerts, social service projects, and religious activities drain student energies.
- Anxiety, fear, and guilt increase as finals approach and papers are due. Increase use of alcohol and drugs is related.
- Financial strain because of holiday gifts and travel costs.
- Pressure increases to perform socially because of the approach of vacation and extended separation.
- Friendship tensions become high with the onset of final exams.
January
- Post-holiday depression after leaving home security and positive strokes.
- Some students experience unwanted weight gain over the break with the holiday food and home cooking.
- Anxieties about second semester performance begins because they did not do as well as expected the previous semester, and have added pressure of doing well to be able to stay in school or to keep their grades competitive with their colleagues.
- Reincorporated social and academic life is difficult at first with not having to worry about school for an extended period.
February
- Many students experience optimism because second semester is perceived as going "down-hill."
- Vocational choice causes anxiety and depression.
- Couples begin to establish stronger ties or experience weakening of established ones.
- Depression increases for those who have failed to establish social relationships or achieve a moderate amount of recognition.
- Social calendar is non-active.
- Depending on the weather, some people will experience cabin fever if the weather forces them to stay inside for a lengthy period of time. Anti-social behaviors can begin to occur.
- Planning for Spring Break - trips, jobs, etc.
- Fall housing planning begins with trying to tentatively decide about living arrangements for the upcoming year.
March
- With the pressure of the end of the semester approaching many students start to increase their use of alcohol and drugs.
- Depression begins due to anticipation of separation from friends and loved ones at college.
- Academic pressure increases.
- Existential crisis for seniors - Is my education worth anything? Was my major a mistake? Do I really have to leave college? Why go on?
- Senior job interviewing causes increased level of anxiety.
- Living arrangement anxieties occur with the forcing of decisions- Should I move out? Live in the same building? Stay with the same roommate? Will a friend be left out of the plans?
April
- Academic pressures increase with the end of the semester approaching.
- Papers and exams approach.
- Summer job pressures continue.
- With weather becoming nicer, there is fear from women about the threat of sexual assault.
- Senior job recruitment panic continues.
- Financial strain from Spring Break affects social life.
- Many students are forced to pick a major and are not sure what field they would like to enter.
- Social life pressure increases-formals, parties, concerts, etc.
- Many students go through rejections or fear of rejections or envy towards their friends who have successfully found a significant other.
- Frustration due to registration for the fall. Getting into the right classes.
- Many students go on crash diets because they may have gained weight during the winter or school year.
May
- Increased anxiety develops because of the realization that the year is ending and a deficiencies in a number of academic areas may still exist.
- Finals pressures are at a critical level with papers, take-home exams, and studying.
- Senior job pressure increases for those who have not yet found one.
- Depression over having to leave the friends and people that they have grown so close to during the school year.
- Anxiety of having to go home after having been independent the past year, especially if they are having conflicts with their parents.
This is adapted from "Student Stress Schedule," Illinois State University, Office of Residential Life, RA Handbook, 1991-92.
Chase's Calendar Of Programmable Events, Suggested Programs, and So Forth...
Couldn't think of a program? Well, just peruse the following serious, frivolous, and otherwise thought provoking list of events. Some ideas for programming are provided, but your imagination is the only limit when using this calendar. Feel free to ask your Area Coordinator or assistant hall director for assistance. Have fun!!!
September is "National Snack Month," so let's get out the ice cream, brats, Eskimo pies, potato chips, snack cakes, peanuts, pretzels, cheese spread and crackers, popcorn, soda, etc., etc., etc.
Renaissance Festival (Shakopee, MN)
National Piano Month
All-American Breakfast Month
Cable TV Month
National Courtesy Month
National Disaster Prevention Day
Muscular Dystrophy Labor Day Telethon
National Bowling Week
Be Late For Something Day-To create a release from the stresses and strains resulting from a consistent need to be on time.
- Programs: Bring in a speaker on time management or how to stop procrastinating. Of course, you can always put this off until later!
International Literacy Day (UN)
Star Trek's 25th Anniversary
Peter Sellers' Birthday
- Programs: Honor the infamous Inspector Clouseau with a "Pink Panther" film festival.
Michael Keaton's Birthday
Swap Ideas Day
To encourage the use of creative
- Programs: Get the residents together for a social and to brainstorm programs for the floor/cube. A great opportunity to get them involved and feeling ownership! Put up graffiti posters in the hallway or in the bathroom stalls.
National Grandparents' Day
- Programs: Call the Senior Citizen's Center and ask about "adopting" some floor grandparents or inquire about including some "grandparents" in your next floor outing.
National Hispanic Heritage Week
"Blame Someone Else" Day
- To share the responsibility and the guilt for the mess we're in.
Annual Bad Check Day
National Laundry Week
- Programs: Have programs to help freshmen establish their independence. Programs on how to budget money and do laundry are perfect!
Agatha Christie's Birthday
- Programs: Have a movie night using a mystery theme, or a "Clue" tournament. Go on a treasure hunt with another floor. Have a special dinner where residents play characters and try to solve a mystery.
Carpet Sweeper Day (Patented 1876)
International Day of Peace Declared by the United Nations General Assembly-peace within and among all nations and peoples.
Bill Murray's Birthday
The Birthday of the Ice Cream cone
- Programs: Do your next floor/cube meeting at an ice cream shop. Or have everyone bring a candy bar to your next study break; you provide ice cream, milk, and blenders for a Blizzard break.
National Mind-Mapping and Brainstorming Week-To promote creativity and innovation in businesses and organizations through brainstorming and mind-mapping; a visual form of outlining.
Bruce Springsteen's Birthday
Johnny Carson's Birthday
National "Let's Achieve Excellence" Day
Jim "The Muppets" Henson's Birthday
American Newspaper Week
- Programs: Post your own "Dear Abby" column for a week on your floor; you can supply the problems or the answers. OR start a news center where comics, articles, etc. can be posted for residents to read. Ask everyone to contribute items of interest.
Barbara Walter's Birthday
National Food Service Employees Day
National Good Neighbor Day
- Programs: Play the "Roommate Game" and ask someone from the counseling center to come in and do a presentation on "Getting Along with Your Roommate." Draw names for "Secret Neighbors." Do a floor exchange with a neighboring floor -- one floor brings a snack, the other floor brings beverages.
Olivia Newton-John's Birthday
Ancestor Appreciation Day
Teacher's Day
Xenophobe Understanding Day-A day to further the understanding of xenophobes (persons who have an unusual fear of strangers, especially foreigners).
- Programs: International food tasting. International coffee house. Speaker about studying abroad. Extend this theme to cover an understanding of all persons with phobias - invite someone to come from the counseling center or a favorite psychology professor.
Ask a "Stupid Question" Day To encourage curious people to overcome their timidity and ask "stupid" questions.
- Proqrams: Invite President LaGree, Dr. Haddox, Dean Thorius, or another campus resource to dinner to field questions. OR bring in a speaker on assertiveness or how to deal effectively with faculty.
International Microwave Month
National Apple Month
National Popcorn Poppin' Month
National Pizza Month
National Pasta Month
National AIDS Awareness Month
National Car Care Month
National Seafood Month
- Programs: Wow! Eat, eat, eat! Make your study breaks at least semi-nutritious. Serve fresh fruit or veggies for those avoiding sweets. Ask the Health Center to do a mini-program on healthy eating, dieting, wellness, etc. at your next study break or over dinner. Have a mechanic come in to talk about basic car servicing and care.
World Vegetarian Day
Mental Illness Awareness Week
Mahatma Ghandi's Birthday
Groucho Marx's Birthday
Happy Birthday to the "Peanuts" gang!
1st Broadcast of the Andy Griffith Show
United Nations' Children's Day
National Jogging Day
Columbus Day
Thanksgiving Day (Canada)
Fire Prevention Week
John Lennon's Birthday
International "Scream in a Moment of Frustration" Day
1st World Series, Boston vs. Pittsburgh, 1903
The White House's Birthday
National Dental Hygiene Week
National Pet Peeve Week
National Grouch Day
Gourmet Coffee Week
World Food Day
- Programs: Canned food drive. Speaker on world hunger and relief efforts.
National Boss Day
- Program: Thank your supervisor - a note of appreciation is a great gift!
Anniversary of the 1st Birth Control Clinic Opened
Dictionary Day (Noah Webster's Birthday)
Black Poetry Day
Sweetest Day-Observed annuaIIy on the third Saturday of October
TV Talk Show Host Day
Disarmament Week (United Nations)
Peace, Friendship, and Good Will Week
Pablo Picasso's Birthday
- Program: Take a trip to the Art Museum.
Lost Cause Day
Statue of Liberty's Dedication Anniversary
Anniversary of Stock Market Collapse
- Programs: Bring in a speaker on managing your money or investing for beginners.
Devil's Night (or "Mischief Night")
Halloween
National Magic Day
National UNICEF Day
- Programs: Have your floor or hall trick-or-treat for UNICEF, or have children come into the hall to trick-or-treat. Throw a party for children in Big Brothers/Big Sisters who do not have someone assigned to them yet.
Creative Child and Adult Month
National Diabetes Month
National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month
National Authors' Day World Community Day
Cookie Monster's Birthday
Sandwich Day-A rake and a gambler, John Montague, the Fourth Earl of Sandwich is said to have invented the sandwich as a time-saving nourishment while he was engaged in a 24-hour long gambling session in 1762.
- Programs: Sponsor a casino night with a sandwich buffet. Order a giant submarine sandwich for your next study break. Subway or Funaro's are good places in which to look!
First Tuesday in November is U.S. General Election Day - VOTE! Unless that Tuesday falls on the 1st then it is the 2nd Tuesday.
Sally Field's Birthday
Katharine Hepburn's Birthday
Anniversary of the Berlin Wall Opening
National Geography Awareness Week
National Children's Book Week
American Enterprise Day
- Program: Invite someone from the business department to speak on entrepreneurship or how to make it in the business world.
"Tell Someone They're Doing a Good Job" Week
National Moms and Dads Day
The Great American Smoke-Out
- Programs: If you know of anyone still smoking, be his/her "Smokeout" buddy for this day. Sponsor a stop-smoking clinic this week.
National Education Week
Mickey Mouse's Birthday
- Programs: Cheese-tasting party. Study break with cartoons, crackers, and cheese. Floor breakfast to watch Saturday morning cartoons.
National "Have a Bad Day" Day
Anniversary of the Assassination of John F. Kennedy
Eating Disorder's Week
- Programs: The Health Center and Counseling Offices offer many presentations on wellness, eating less and staying healthy, and bulimia/ anorexia.
Jimi Hendrix's Birthday
Mark Twain's Birthday
Universal Human Rights Month
Woody Allen's Birthday
International Volunteer Day
200th Anniversary of the Death of Wolfgang Amadeus Hozart
Worst NFL Championship Day - 1940 Bears 73, Redskins 0
Anniversary of Pearl Harbor-December 7, 1941
Death Anniversary of Alfred Nobel
Nobel Prize Ceremonies (Oslo, Norway and Stockholm, Sweden)
1st Gorilla born in captivity: 1956
National Hobby Month
National Blood Donor Month
National Soup Month
- Programs: January is traditionally a blood-shortage month. Organize a blood drive for your floor or building. Have a competition between floors for the most participants; what better way to help others than to give the gift of life!
- What month could be better suited for National Soup Month? Have residents submit favorite homemade soup recipes and have a cozy dinner together.
Elvis Presley's Birthday
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday
- Programs: Invite a faculty member to speak on the life and times of Dr. King.
National Nothing Day-A day to give people a break from celebrating anything!
Pooh Day-The anniversary of A.A. Milne's birth, an English author, who penned stories about Winnie the Pooh.
Kevin Costner's Birthday
Hat Day
Edgar Allen Poe's Birthday
Janis Joplin's Birthday
World Religion Day
George Burns' Birthday
National "Clean Off Your Desk" Day
- Program: Have a workshop on how to be better organized. Organization can lead to better time management.
National Hugging Day
- Program: Bring a speaker in to do a program on Hug Therapy.
George Gordon Byron's Birth Anniversary-English lord and poet known for his scandalous reputation and wildly romantic poetry.
Handwriting Day
- Program: Invite a speaker in to do a program on handwriting analysis.
Paul Newman's Birthday
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Birthday
Alan Alda's Birthday
Oprah Winfrey's Birthday
Anniversary of the Beatles' Last Public Appearance
American Heart Month
American Music Month
Mardi Gras
Black History Month
Creative Romance Month
- Program: What's happening on the stage? Check it out and organize a group to go "hear" what's going on.
- Create and celebrate your own Mardi Gras on your floor with another floor, in your building, or with another building.
There are thousands of possible programs and events which highlight the accomplishments and issues of African-Americans in history; take advantage of the programs already being presented on campus, or invite in speakers (faculty or campus/community leaders) to discuss these accomplishments/issues. BE CREATIVE! Call the Multicultural Affairs Office for helpful hints.
National Freedom Day
Be An Encourager Day
Groundhog Day
- Programs: Has "Cabin Fever" set in on your floor? Today means winter is almost over, no matter if the groundhog saw his shadow or not. Celebrate! Organize some stress relievers for your floor, or have a Hawaiian/Beach Party.
Charles Dickens' Birthday
National Crime Prevention Week
National Pancake Week
World Marriage Day
The Beatles Invade the U.S.A.-1964
St. Valentine's Day
National Condom Week
National Pizza Week
Race Relations Day
- Program: Sponsor a night/week on programs about relationships with family, roommates, friends, or significant others or on self-love/self-esteem.
President's Day
Student Volunteer Day
The Volkswagen was unveiled. The stumpy design we call "The Bug" was introduced as the "people's car." (1936)
Invention of the Television by John L. Baird (1926)
National Peanut Month
National Nutrition Month
Women's History Month
Poetry Month
Red Cross Month
- Programs: Spring is almost here and that can only mean one thing for many people...DIET! Offer a program on safe, but effective ways to loose unwanted pounds.
- Ask residents to submit their favorite poems and then make a booklet for the floor to read. OR put together your own DEAD POETS' SOCIETY.
May Day
National Pig Day
Return Borrowed Books Week
Dr. Seuss' Birthday
National Women's History Week
- Programs: This week is to highlight the many outstanding women throughout history. Again, there are many possible ideas, so be creative! If you're stuck, call the a faculty member knowledgeable in women's studies.
National Drug and Alcohol Awareness Week
American Chocolate Week
"I Want You to Be Happy" Week
National Procrastination Week
International Women's Day
Fun Mail Week
Anniversary of the Invention of the Telephone
Johnny Appleseed Day
The Ides of March - Shakespeare's favorite day!
Children and Hospitals Week
- Program: Arrange as a floor to visit the children's ward of the hospital. Take posters that you've drawn, read books to them, play, make them something to keep, whatever!
The swallows return to Capistrano
Earth Day
- Programs: Celebrate our planet and it's resources. Offer a program on one of the many environmental issues facing people today. Ideas? Conservation, recycling, oil spills, nuclear waste, animals, etc.....
Fragrance Day-To alert everyone to the fragrances about them and to make people aware of the perfumes and bouquets of the world.
National Teenagers' Day
Memory Day
National Goof-Off Day
Leonard Nimoy's Birthday
Martin Short's Birthday
"Make Up Your Own Holiday" Day
Warren Beatty's Birthday
Leo Buscaglia's Birthday
- Program: Show Buscaglia's tape
National Residence Hall Month
Cancer Control Month
National Humor Month
VD Awareness Month
National Anxiety Month
- Programs-Finals are just around the corner. Does your floor need to loosen up? Organize a program which is totally and completely FUN! Go to a movie, watch tv, fingerpaint, have a Kids' Week! Anything that requires fun!
- Offer a program which will draw attention to the dangers and myths surrounding sexual contact in today's world. Use the Health Center and Nurse!
April Fool's Day
International Children's Book Day
Marlon Brando's Birthday
Alcohol-Free Weekend
To increase public awareness of the problems associated with drinking alcoholic beverages by asking Americans to refrain from drinking this weekend.
World Health Day
Activities and Community Building
It is the hope that through examining the purpose of the community building model you will realize the benefits and fun that community building can provide for your floor. If effectively used this model can help create activities that build community interest and enhance community living.
Good community building can accomplish the following:
1. The residents of your floor/wing may become better acquainted and therefore will live together with a greater degree of understanding and develop good friendships.
2. The residents of your floor/wing can become better acquainted with students from other halls and this will develop friendships.
3. The residents are given a chance to experience things outside of the routine of school.
4. Through educational activities the residents have an opportunity to discuss and learn "out of class" topics that are valuable and of concern to them. They may enhance what they are learning in their classes.
5. The residents of your floor/wing are given the opportunity to utilize their leadership and organizational abilities.
As you plan your activities, try to keep in mind these hints:
1. The more creative the better! Don't be afraid to try different things!
2. Spontaneity can work in your favor! Be sensitive to the suggestions of others or their impulsive ideas. Pick up on them and see where they lead.
3. Involve others on your floor/wing in the planning stages. They feel more involved, and are more inclined to help and generate more enthusiasm.
4. Don't be discouraged by small turnouts. Discover why the turn out was low. Sometimes unforeseen events happen.
5. Get suggestions from residents on your floor. Follow up on those ideas. Perhaps hold a "brainstorming" meeting.
6. Post all your information so everyone knows what's going on. Keep everyone informed.
7. Don't forget your contact with other leaders who are planning events. They are some of your best resource people.
8. Not everyone on your floor/wing is going to be fired up and want to get involved. That's okay. Provide them with the opportunities but don't push them into anything.
Planning
Step 1: Assess Needs and Interests
This is the most important step in the community building process. Without finding out what it is your residents are interested in you increase your chances of the activity being a failure. Keep in mind that what is interesting and exciting to you may not be interesting and exciting to your residents. The best way to find out what your residents need or what they are interested in is to ask them. There are several ways you can go about this process:
- Use an interest inventory or survey
- Hold an informal group discussion. One of the best times to do this is at the beginning of the semester. However, you may want to have several informal gatherings throughout the semester to keep up to date with changing needs and new interests.
- Provide a suggestion box for the residents to use to contribute ideas. A good place for this box could be on the bulletin board or in the community bathroom.
Step 2: Initiate Activity
This is the part of the planning process where the more creative and daring you get the better your activities will be. It is during this stage that you pull together your ideas about exactly what type of activity you are going to present. This is where you get as many of your residents involved as possible. An effective way to do this is to form a committee. This group could brainstorm, based on the interests of the floor and then sort through the ideas and find one that will work for them.
Effective Brainstorming Session:
1. Plan a time for your floor to get together and send notices. Let them know what you plan to do so they can be thinking of ideas.
2. Get supply of newsprint and lots of markers.
3. When the time arrives select one person to make notes on a large sheet of paper posted on the wall or on an easel where the entire group can see it.
4. Encourage your residents to shout out ideas for activities that they might like to do. Tell them to be as creative as they want and let them know that you are not concerned with details or how realistic some thing is at this time. Some guidelines should be set:
- laughing and criticizing other's ideas will not be tolerated,
- no ideas should be put down,
- everyone should have an opportunity to contribute ideas.
5. Continue the process for about 10-15 minutes. As a group, go through the list and cross off activities that would be unrealistic because of finances, location, risk, etc.
6. Once the list has been narrowed down, prioritize the activities that are left based on how many people would actually plan to attend if time permitted the activity to be planned successfully.
Step 3: Implement Activity
This is the administrative part of the process. The following is a list of things you should accomplish during this phase of planning:
- Identify possible dates, times and places to have the activity.
- Contact resource people early (speaker, facilitator, panel, etc.)
- Check for schedule conflicts (campus events, sports)
- Arrange specific time, date, place.
- Reserve room and arrange for equipment and/or refreshments.
- Involve residents. Delegate tasks. They will take greater interest in the activity.
Step 4: Publicize
Publicity is what will get people to attend your activity. If you don't publicize don't be surprised if no one shows up. Here are some things to think about when it is time for publicity:
- Identify who is responsible. It is helpful if there is one person who will coordinate publicity.
- Identify whom you are trying to reach. Is this activity only for the residents on your floor? In your residence hall? For the entire campus? It is important that you decide what people you want the publicity to reach.
- Determine various types of publicity available. Some ideas include: Campus radio station, campus newspaper, bulletin boards, and flyers.
- Determine how you want to advertise. Do you want to use signs, banners, invitations, announcements, or a combination?
Step 5: Finalize Plans
This is where you pull everything together. During this stage it is helpful to use a checklist. You will also want to bring all your key people together, anyone to whom you delegated responsibility. Some of the most vital things you need to do are as follows.
- Check with resource person. Does s/he have the correct date and time? Do they have directions? Do they understand what it is you want them to do?
- Check on reservation confirmation (if any.) Is the space you need reserved for the right time? Will the refreshments be ready and is someone going to pick them up? Will any equipment you need be set up on time?
- Make sure publicity goes out on time in the proper areas. Signs should go up at least 5 days before the scheduled event date.
- Make sure someone will be available to greet the speaker or guest (if you have one.)
Step 6: Present Activity
The time of your activity is here. At this point you still have a few things left to do.
- Give a brief introduction. Introduce the topic and speaker (if you have one).
- If you are taking a trip somewhere make sure everyone who is supposed to be there is there. Make sure you have everything you need.
- Facilitate and direct discussion when needed.
- Participate, relax and enjoy the activity.
Step 7: Evaluate
Your activity is completed so now is the time to look back on how things went. A good idea is to send thank you notes to everyone who helped out with the activity and to your presenters. Here are some things to consider in your evaluation:
- Did the activity accomplish what you set out to accomplish?
- What worked well? What didn't?
- How many people attended? Did they enjoy the activity? Did they learn anything?
- What are some suggestions you would have for someone wanting to do this activity in the future?
**Remember to ALWAYS write thank you notes to all who helped or participated in your activity!!
Pitfalls in Activities
1. "Lost in space." Not knowing where/how to look for a particular resource. Be patient and persistent.
2. "One fish in the sea." Repeated use of the same resources. The same individuals, though they may be excellent resources, can be overused.
3. "Who are you?" Don't know the resource person. Meet or talk to your resource and form an impression before making a commitment.
4. "10% does not make a majority." Needs and interests not adequately assessed.
5. "Crystal ball technique." Choosing activities without consultation. Get the residents input!
6. "Earmuffs in May." Bad timing. Activities are seasonal and thus more appropriate at certain times of the year.
7. "I've got a secret." Insufficient publicity. Spread the news about your activity, don't keep it a secret or act like you have something to hide.
8. "Seen one, you've seen them all." Unimaginative posters and publicity. Get their attention.
9. "Drop what you're doing." Not enough advance notice. Publicize your activity in advance so your residents can make time in their schedule.
10. "Don't know a thing about it." Too limited distribution. A single isolated poster in an obscure location won't do the job.
11. "Activity cramming." Waiting until the end of the semester. Those who wait too long run out of time.
12. "Two places at one time." Conflicts with other activities and events. Keep up with the calendar of campus activities. Learn what events residents are likely to attend. Don't try to compete with the "biggies."
13. "We'll have to turn them away at the gate." Unrealistically high expectations given to presenter. Be honest with yourself and the presenter.
14. "Let's meet in the swamp." Poor location. Select a site that is accessible, easy to find, comfortable and relatively distraction free.
From the 2013 version of the site. Details, prices and links may be out of date, so check them against your own campus policies.