Residence life and education, residential curriculum and curricular approaches, student housing, and technology.
Winter break provides a much needed time to rest after Fall semester, allowing students to reconnect with their lives away from campus. However, with this period of rest and recharging, it’s easy to lose the good habits that you developed during the semester– such as sleeping on a regular schedule, getting outside everyday, maintaining good... Continue Reading →
Being a student worker for a housing department is both a high demand and high pressure environment. It requires extreme prioritizing, balancing, and accountability. While there can be considerable perks, your education and long-term health and goals should come first. It’s safe to say that being a Resident Advisor (or whatever your institution may call... Continue Reading →
The use of preferred names has become increasingly common over the last decade, though they have always existed. This increase is especially noticeable for students entering higher education as higher education is an environment that typically encourages students to explore and showcase their unique identity and background. Many college students have just become adults and... Continue Reading →
As an Resident Assistant or student staff member, being able to write incident reports is an important skill to have. This is because in your role you will frequently be the first responder when different incidents occur. Housing departments need to abide by both government and their institutions policies regarding tracking conduct trends and student... Continue Reading →
One of the most important responsibilities of an RA is the development of a successful community within their space and wider residential community. However, this is a skill that is very specific to housing and you won’t hear the phrase “community development” very frequently outside of this environment. So, what does “community development” mean, and... Continue Reading →
Documentation is an extremely important part of working at a university. It is evidence that you have followed the policies and procedures of your department and the university. As a student worker in housing, you will most likely be handling sensitive information and checking in on students of concern. The amount of documentation and paperwork... Continue Reading →
Summer is a time to rest and recharge from the school year, even if you are still going to classes or working. This is the time to recharge from your residence life responsibilities, and hopefully, begin to prepare for the coming Fall. While it may feel unnecessary to begin planning before the semester begins, taking... Continue Reading →
The end of the academic year is one of the busiest times for college students, with exams, presentations, and end of year projects all due simultaneously. In addition there is the end of year social buzz, with students trying to cram in the last get-togethers and parties before everyone leaves for summer break. Emotions are... Continue Reading →
A common opportunity for RAs and student staff members is to assist with the hiring of new staff members. This could be new RAs, desk assistants, or even some professional staff members. Regardless of what position is being hired for, being able to conduct an interview is a useful skill to develop–not only can you... Continue Reading →
~ Blog Posts Written By RAs for RAs ~ Determining the line between being friends and friendly with your residents is a vital part of being a resident assistant. However there may be times when you have a pre-existing relationship with a resident, or you develop a closer relationship with a resident over time. This... Continue Reading →
