Programming Resource Center

The end of the year is undeniably busy–filled with exams, final projects, tons of events, course registration and- for most residents- housing selection. We all know the stress of exams and course registration, but few RAs have ever been through housing selection. So how are we supposed to help when residents come to us with questions about time blocks and the waitlist? Sure you can attend the info sessions, but do you really know how it works? Today’s blog explores what you as an RA need to know about room selection.

1.Time Blocks:  Over Spring Break, your residents were sent e-mails with info about their time blocks (assuming they paid the room reservation deposit). A time block is the date and time when a resident can first login to select his/her room. Residents who are working for res life next year, living with someone who’s working for res life, or living in a community they had to apply for, such as the language houses, won’t get this email because they were not entered into the housing lottery.

2. The Waitlist: Students who were in the last time blocks were  put on the waitlist and given reinstatement numbers by their Area Directors (upcoming sophomores get the lower numbers and rising juniors get the higher numbers). As more people opt out of on-campus housing by choosing to live off-campus, more people get reinstated, starting with the lowest number first. (People can check up on the progress of the reinstatement list here) The waitlist presents certain complications, both in the plans of the person who was assigned to the waitlist and the person with whom he/she was planning on living because a person cannot select to  live in a room on campus unless he or she has been reinstated (with the exception of overcrowding, which will be discussed later). If someone has a very low reinstatement number (1~30), they will almost certainly be reinstated before room selection begins and so it shouldn’t alter their plans for housing. If a person has a mid-range reinstatement number, it’s hit-or-miss when they’ll be reinstated, depending on how many people opt out of housing and how quickly. Therefore, it’s possible that their original housing plan may still work, but it’s also advisable that they and their roommate make alternate housing plans as well, such as an overcrowd or living off-campus. If a person has a very high number (>~150) they will be reinstated if they wait long enough, as the college promises, but this could very well occur in August, in the units, and with someone who’s convinced they’re Voldemort and Bellatrix’s love child. Therefore, bad roommates will ditch them and find someone else to live with. Good roommates might consider off-campus housing or an overcrowd, which are pretty much these unfortunate people’s only options. In overcrowd housing,  roommate groups of 3 or 4 with 1 person on the waitlist (a roommate group with 2 or more people on the waitlist is not eligible for overcrowd selection) are given priority in choosing a room that’s a little bit too small. More information about overcrowd room selection can be found here.

3. Creating a roommate group: People who are eligible to participate in room selection can manage their hosing process on myHousing. This is where residents can login to see what rooms are still available for them to live in and, when the time comes, select their rooms for next year. On myHousing, a person first selects their roommate group, meaning everyone with whom they want to live next year. A roommate group should select a Group Leader, the person who’s going to be in charge of selecting the room they’re going to live in next year during room selection. This person should be whomever has the earliest time block. In order to make this person the group leader, members will have to click the green up arrow next to that person’s name until his or her name is at the top of the list of roommates. The person’s name should then have a star next to it. Everyone in the group should send the Group Leader their roommate passcode, which is located in the upper right hand corner of the myHousing window. This will allow the group leader to add them to the room during room selection.

4. Choosing a room: Before your time block, you can login to see what rooms are still available. However,  the only rooms that will be listed as available are ones that meet the capacity needs for however many people are in one’s roommate group. So, someone who doesn’t select a roommate group will only see singles, where as someone who selects a roommate group of three people will only see triples, and so on. From this, a roommate group should form a rough idea of where they’d like to live (choosing a specific room is a bad idea). Keeping it realistic may be the most difficult part of this for freshmen who know that Jamestown is popular but think it’s totally realistic for them to get a suite in Bryan (possible, yes. likely, no). Once the Group Leader’s time block begins, he or she can log in and select a room. Though they don’t have to do this right away, they must  do so within 48 hours of when their time block begins. Everyone else will have to login at some point after this  in order to accept the terms and conditions of on-campus housing.

When it all comes down to it, everyone who wants to will find some place to live, and hopefully one they’re happy with. Try to be up-to-date on where your residents stand in the housing process and make yourself available to provide support and answer questions. Hopefully the information above will help!

On a college campus, the end of the year can mean a lot of different things depending upon what the coming months may hold.  Freshman are ready to become sophomores and lose their ‘new kid on the block’ designation.  Sophomores and juniors are likely getting ready for internships and study abroad opportunities.  And finally, seniors are gearing up for the rest of their lives and savoring their last couple months at our beloved college.  Thus, there are a variety of avenues through which you should consider programming for the end of the year.

From the standpoint of a freshman RA, consider reminiscing back to your first year of college.  What characteristics of that living situation are unique to the experience of your residents?  For many William & Mary students, freshman hall friends tend to stick together but find that something is lost when you’re no longer live in that environment.  Thus, do some activities that take advantage of their cohesiveness.  Consider doing programs like a midnight game of ultimate frisbee in the Sunken Gardens or do a mixer with another hall in your building!

For sophomores and juniors, gauge what they’ll be doing in the near future.  Maybe you’ll find that you have a lot of residents going abroad so consider doing travel safety programming.  If many of your residents have internships or are looking for internships, give a workshop on how to make the most of your internship or how to go about writing cover letters and interviewing.  The Career Center can help you out with this.

Finally, for seniors getting ready to graduate you may want to take a different tack.  Consider checking in with them and do an activity that allows them to reflect on all the wonderful things they’ve experienced over the past 4 years.  Ask your residents to create a William & Mary bucket list and challenge them to do as much of it as they can.  Maybe you could turn it into a competition?

I hope this advice was helpful and you and your residents continue to live every day to the fullest!

Spring surprised us in February this year. We anticipated the return of winter, but the sunshine, and unseasonal warmth persisted. Whether you want to blame it on global warming or the groundhog seeing his shadow, or call it a gift from above, we can all agree that one of the perks of the beautiful weather is there are more opportunities for outdoor programming! Here are five ideas to thing about:

1. A water balloon fight would be a great collaborative program. Invite another RA to get his or her hall involved. It can be boys versus girls, girls versus girls, or boys versus boys. Either way, it’s a good time and a cheap time. Water balloons are inexpensive when bought in bulk, water is free, and there are plenty of spaces on campus to have the fight. Cleanup, however, might be a bit tedious. When the fight is over you and your residents will need to pick up the balloon pieces. How can we turn a negative into a positive? I know! Turn cleanup into a competition. The person who picks up the most pieces will win a small prize. Wawa gift cards are always popular. Most people would be motivated to win a $10 gift card for Wawa.
2. Have a BBQ picnic! There are outdoor grills at different places on campus: Jamestown field, between Chandler and Landrum, in Botetourt outside of Spotswood and many more. Having a BBQ could be another collaborative program. You could make it potluck style and BYOB. Your RA funds could supply hotdogs and chips. Ask your residents to bring blankets to make it a true picnic.
3. I would say we are a pretty physically active campus. The gym is always packed and people are running this way and that way across campus, in CW, and pretty much all over Williamsburg. Rancing (dancing while running) is a program that can help your residents spice up their workout routines. Poll your residents for songs to include on the rancing playlist and burn CDs for your residents. Pick a nice day to frolic.
4. Ultimate Frisbee is another physical activity that is inexpensive. Rent a Frisbee from the rec center and play! The Sunken Gardens is a great place to play.
5. Now that you have burned all those calories rancing and playing Ultimate Frisbee, Berry Body is the move! Take a walk with your residents to Berry Body in CW. Depending on your RA funds, you could subsidize the cost of your residents’ frozen yogurt. Find a nice place outside to eat your froyo.

Whether you have money to blow or your money is a little funny, there are so many easy options for outdoor programs that can appeal to freshmen and upperclassmen. To get the best turn out, collaborate with fellow RA’s. Consult your residents about best times for events and ways to make the events more appealing to them. Good luck and enjoy the rest of the semester!

Boards are due, exams and papers are piling up, and it’s difficult to imagine having the time and energy to serve as a resource for your residents. But never fear, the PRC is here! With relaxation tips for you and your residents as well as super simple programming ideas, the midterm stress is no match for Super RA and his/her trusty sidekick, the PRC!

The relaxation part: These are tips that you can use to manage your own stress, or you can host a program in which you introduce them to your residents as ways to help them manage their stress.

1. Meditation. Find soothing music without words either in your own music library or on the Internet (you can YouTube search “meditation music” and find great things). Relax in a comfortable and balanced position, such as lying on the floor or sitting straight up in a chair, with both feet flat on the floor. Close your eyes and listen to the music, taking deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try to focus only on the music. You can do this for 5 minutes and feel amazingly relaxed, or can do it for even longer (as if you had that time). If music doesn’t work, try sitting in silence (there’s a meditation room in the Campus Center for exactly this purpose) and repeating one word, such as “calm” or “breathe” over and over in your head.

2. Go for a walk. William and Mary is a beautiful campus, and on most days it’s not too cold. So walk with no destination, but the goal of centering yourself. Again, concentrate on your breath, as well as the rhythm of your feet hitting the ground, and sounds of birds and wild college students. For extra relaxation, walk slowly through a less-developed area, such as the nature trails behind the Rec Center.

3. Exercise. While it may seem like you don’t have time to exercise, doing so releases endorphins which make your stress much more bearable. If going to the gym is too overwhelming, try running around campus or working out in your room. There are plenty of online videos in Pilates, Zumba, or other workout regimens, or you can just do floor and ab exercises.

4. Write it down. It may work to write a list of what is bothering you, or it may be more effective to write things that make you happy.

5. Don’t have time to stop? Drink a relaxing, rather than energizing, drink, such as ice water or mint tea. All of a sudden, your pile of things to do will seem a little less overwhelming.

The programming part: These are easy to do programs that your residents will find both fun and relaxing.

1. Bake cookies and leave them in the kitchen. If you like to bake, go crazy with it (it could be a fun study break for you). If not, buy the slice and bake cookies–they’re delicious and only require not burning them. Alternatively, you can bring the cookies door-to-door for some interaction with your residents. If the residents aren’t in their rooms, leave the cookies in bags on the door with encouraging notes.

2. Get coloring pages and crayons from the PRC and leave them somewhere — on a bulletin board, individual doors, or in a common area– for residents to color. Beware, though, of the possibility of vandalism (just think of it as the vandal’s own stress relief technique).

3. Have a brief  dance party in a common area late at night (but not after quiet hours). Try to play uplifting music.

4. Check out Play-doh from the PRC and set it up in a common area for a few hours one afternoon.

5. Watch a movie or play video games in a common area one evening. Encourage people to take a break from studying or to bring their studying with them.

Have you ever heard of embezzlement? Like Bernie Madoff-style embezzlement? Of course you have! (Unless you live in a cave. Which is okay, just make sure you say hi to the Fraggles for us!)

But did you realize that the term also applies to misuse of PRC resources? Sounds harsh, right? Unfortunately, that’s the truth. When you use resources for illicit purposes, you are embezzling them from the PRC.

Sometimes, in the dazzle of the glitter and the magic of poster printing, we get lost in this space. We get caught up in just how much stuff there is that we assume it all must be limitless. The PRC has a timeless feel to it. PRC users are often very shocked the first time they ask for a resource and discover, gasp! It’s all out! (Adhesive laminate, Velcro, to name a few real examples.)

Contrary to what you might assume, the PRC has a) resource limits and b) budget limits. Think about this in terms of the numbers. There are approximately 160 Student Staff members. Add in Hall Councils, Sharpe scholars, NRHH, RHA, and Language House Tutors, and that’s easily 250 people we’re talking about. Suddenly the PRC seems much smaller, doesn’t it?

What this all means is that it’s very important to follow policy and use the PRC only for its intended purpose, which is to provide resources for Reslife-related activities only. Let’s say you used or took 5 pieces of paper for inappropriate purposes. You think to yourself, “no one will notice,” right? Wrong. If  all 250 or so PRC users thought the same thing (which is  more likely if one person does), the result would be a staggering 1,250 pieces of embezzled resources!

So what constitutes inappropriate use of the PRC? You’ve heard us say “anything that isn’t related to ResLife.” What does that mean? Take a look at the two lists below:

Appropriate uses

• Hall programs (i.e. programs for residents)
• Collaborative programs with other RAs, Hall Councils, or other ResLife groups listed above
• Campus-wide programs
• Customized bulletin boards (as opposed to generic boards, see below*)
• Flyers for hall, collaborative, or campus-wide programs
• Posters for hall, collaborative, or campus-wide programs
• Door tags for residents
• Banners for ResLife conferences
• Sharpe projects
• Birthday cards for residents only

Inappropriate uses

• Creating flyers for student organizations or campus events
• Creating posters for student organizations or campus events
• Printing syllabi, homework, or other assignments
• Working on academic projects of any kind, with the exception of Sharpe projects
• Taking resources home with you (for any purpose!) without explicit permission
• * Bulletin boards created by student organizations for use by RAs (if the boards are created using non-PRC resources, they are usable by RAs)
• Clue weeks of any kind (even if they are your resident!)
• Birthday cards or cards of any kind for non-residents
• Door tags for non-residents

For those of you aren’t familiar, the quote in the title of this blog post comes from one of my favorite T.V. shows, Will & Grace.  In this particular quote, Will is frustrated that all his friends are pairing up as he is experiencing heartbreak.  In a moment of annoyance and frustration, he exclaims “It’s unnatural. Pairing up never works. When I build my ark, everyone’s gonna get on one by one. Single file, no talking!”  Anyone who has ever been through a breakup knows this feeling but even in sadness this quote is still funny because at some point you have to recognize that while you may be hurting right now, things do eventually get better.

So I’m sure you must be wondering by now what this blog post has to do with programming.  Well, I’m glad you asked!  February 14th is coming up and while this holiday has been semi-jokingly called ‘A Day That Will Live In Infamy’ or ‘Singles Awareness Day’ or ‘That Stupid Holiday Invented By The Greeting Card Companies,’ its important to recognize that this day has a different meaning for everyone.  From a programming standpoint, this means you may need to expand your point of view to be more inclusive.  Ultimately this holiday is about showing love to others and this does not (and should not) be limited to the affection shown between couples.

A safe way to program around Valentine’s Day is to adopt a message the encourages everyone to love themselves first.  One idea would be to treat your residents to a spa day!  Invite someone to come in and give massages.  Along these lines, the counseling center gives meditation workshops once a week that are also very relaxing.  Consider showing your hallmates some love by giving them chocolate or even flowers.  Create an interactive bulletin board that asks ‘Why Are You Lovely?’ and invite your residents to reflect on that question in print.  For more great ideas like this, drop by the PRC sometime in the next couple of days and ask a PA for help.  To everyone reading this, have a happy Valentine’s Day and remember you are loved!

Have you ever felt trapped in the campus bubble? Drifting from your dorm, to class, back to your dorm, then to the dining hall, and class again? I think we all know how easy it is to end up with this routine.  In February, though, try to break free from this bubble by attending one of the many film festivals that are happening on and around campus.  Every February, the Global Film Festival “brings world cultures to Williamsburg, through film.” And do you want to know something even better? All of the events are free.  The Global Film Festival will be from February 16-19 at the Kimball Theatre and, until the 15^th, there will be a Pre-Festival Series every Wednesday at the Williamsburg Library Theater starting at 6:30pm.

In addition to the Global Film Festival, there will be a Russian Film Series and a French and Francophone Film Series.  The Russian Film Series begins on February 2, most of the films are on campus (one coincides with the Pre-Festival Series film at the Williamsburg Library), and all the films are free.  The French and Francophone Film Series began on January 17 and will end on February 17.  All the films are at Kimball Theatre and tickets for William and Mary students are only $2.

For more information about any of these events, check the links below:

http://filmfestival.wm.edu/

http://events.wm.edu/modernlanguages/2012/02/02/5606/

http://events.wm.edu/modernlanguages/2012/01/27/5299/

Welcome back! We’re glad that training went by smoothly, and are excited to see all of the beautiful creations you have worked so hard to create.

Although training focuses heavily on bulletin boards, it’s now time to shift gears and focus on programming. The PRC and the PAs are often overlooked resources when it comes to programming. You are probably well aware that we can bring any bulletin board from zero to hero with a flick of a wrist and a backdrop of excellent music. But did you know that we can help you with programming too? Betcha didn’t.

There is a misconception that the PRC is only good for bulletin boards, and that PAs can’t help RAs with programming. This, when you consider that “PRC” stands for “Programming Resource Center,” seems pretty silly. Yes, the PAs love making fancy and creative bulletin boards (3-dimensionality, anyone?), but we also enjoy making fancy and creative programs with you, and… wait for it… for you.

You may have heard of or even used a Bulletin Board in a Bag, that is, a pre-made bulletin board available for check-out. But did you know that we have a comparable library of programs available for check-out as well? Well, now you do.

Our library of Program@Your Fingertips features a broad range of topics, but we’re working on expanding it even more. Each PA will create one new program each semester. And so, after the conclusion of the first semester, we are proud to unveil 5 brand new Programs@Your Fingertips!

• Scavenger Hunt
• Ghosting (pay-it-forward)
• Strength Training Exercises at Home
• Life Map (goal setting, planning, etc.)
• Cooking

“They’re doing their own things.” “They’re not interested in my programs.” “I don’t want to bother them.”

If you’re an upperclassman RA, then chances are you’ve thought or said some of these statements, especially after yet another program with low attendance. It’s clear that being an upperclassman RA can be disheartening, so then how can you feel like your role is worthwhile?

The best thing to do is take a note from freshman RAs. Now, you may be thinking that your jobs are nothing alike. After all, you certainly don’t plan on playing parent to your residents, and there was no extended orientation at the beginning of your semester. On the other hand, the programs freshmen RAs often seem more well-received. This is not because of the content of the program, but because of the people. 

In a freshman hall, you know your RA and all your hallmates, you do activities together, both ones planned by your RA and not. It’s exactly the kind of community we try to create in all residence halls, yet sophomores often have trouble adjusting to upperclassmen living because there’s no longer that community feel. You can’t ask to borrow your neighbor’s printer if you don’t know them, and you’re not going to go to a hall dinner for the same reason. It would seem logical that if residents wanted to get to know each other, they could just introduce themselves, and perhaps some do. But you as an RA have the capacity to get to know all your residents, and this alone can solve all your programming problems. Sound too good to be true? Think:

1. You knock on a resident’s door. You have cookies. Say “Hey, how’s it going?” and offer them a cookie. Start a conversation and get to know each other. Why’s this work? Not just because of the cookie (though that does help), but because you came to them. We’re college students-we’re busy, but if people come to us, then there’s no reason not to talk to them.

2. Knock on a resident’s door. Say “Hey, there’s food in the kitchen. Want some?” They go get food. Why? Not only because college kids like food, but because they know you now. The more you get to know your residents, the less they’ll think it’s awkward going to a program if it’s just you and them.

3. Two of the residents you’ve talked to are in the kitchen eating delicious things. They talk to each other and become friendly.  Programming success. Why? Because forming relationships is key to creating an optimal hall experience and making residents feel comfortable with you.

Do this over and over again, and the hall awkwardness dissipates. Though you may not be able to re-create the freshman hall experience, getting to know your residents and encouraging them to get to know one another will both help you and your residents throughout the year.

The best part of it all? You can start at any time. Why not now?

What can be felt and seen but weighs nothing? I’ll give you a few hints. No matter the day of the week, or the month (excluding mid-May through August) it is around. You can find it in academic halls, residence halls, and dining halls. It is most noticeable in Swem, especially from 10pm to 2am. It has the power and influence to put bags under eyes from lack of sleep and change moods. I am sure you can guess it now. William and Mary student know it all too well; it’s stress. We feel stress, we see stress in others, but it weighs nothing.

It is that time of year. Professors are cramming tests, papers and problem sets into the weeks before the end of the semester with the excuse that adjustments were needed because of x. This semester x = our hurrication. I will admit that reasoning is somewhat legitimate. As overachieving students we have commitments that are increasing requiring our attention and time. And, if you are like me, cold makes you sleepy and limits your supply of motivation. The combination of it all yields stress.

As resident assistants I’ll assume that you have some awareness of the climate and feel of your hall. Are your residents stressed? I am willing to bet they are. Now the question is, how do you address the stress through programming on your hall? Addressing stress often requires reflection so that circumstances causing stress can be put into perspective. My boss always says that we all have the same 24 hours in a day and we make choices as to how we allocate our time.

Get your residents to start reflecting on how they spend their time. Have a hall program where you create a stress-free environment: soothing music, maybe a funny movie, comfort food or snacks, arts and crafts, etc. As a part of the arts and crafts you can have your residents create life maps. The emphasis of the map making should be on drawing connections between current activity and desired, future activity to be sure that one is not spreading his or herself too thinly. Life map makers should also draw diagrams to help them visualize how much of their time is spent doing work, how much time is spent pretending to do work, and how much time is spent having fun and relaxing. Ultimately, the goal is to put stress and life into perspective so that long-term changes can be made.

Study break mini programs could be particularly successful. These events could just be 5-10 minutes long. For example, you could host a mini dance party. Make a 5-10minute mix of songs and invite your residents to jump up and down to and belt along with loud music. You could invite residents to watch a particularly funny scene from 30 Rock or The Office or Modern Family on Youtube. Is there a particular comedian that your residents find funny? If so you could invite them to watch a scene of say Dave Chappelle’s comedy acts or watch one of his skits (they are hilarious!). Doing mini stress relief programs will help your residents to start to think about what they can do to relieve stress on their own. I don’t see why you couldn’t log one such program in as both social and educational. It can be justified.

Don’t let the stress get you down. You are too cute not to smile—so smile!