NACURH & BEYOND
EQUIP RESIDENTS WITH THE TOOLS OF SUCCESS BY TERRENCE BENARD, TEXAS WOMAN’S UNIVERSITY
A primary goal of each Residence Hall Association executive board is to ensure that the residents are comfortable enough in their living space to survive the ups and downs of the academic year. Through a program entitled “Live and Learn with RHA & NRHH,” Texas Woman’s University did just that. I sat down in the spring, prior to getting to work on fall programming, and asked first year students why or why they hadn’t decided to get involved with organizations on campus. I continued to get one response, “I didn’t know how, or who to talk to.” Freshman year is where the spark is lit to build a flame of leadership, organization dedication, resource understanding, and housing connectivity. How do we go about providing first year students with the tools to better prepare them for life as residents, and ultimately life as students? “Live and Learn with RHA and NRHH,” was our solution. A one and a half hour interactive seminar involving segments dedicated to time management, resource understanding, and housing recognition. Students were lead through an activity challenging them to complete a series of tasks in 30 seconds without any background knowledge in how to do so; surprise no one finished. The activity showed students that planning ahead always pays off in the end, especially in matters of academic and social success. The following segment was dedicated to residents identifying members of housing, roommates, and peers as resources. We thought it vital to make sure that residents were aware that resources don’t
always come in the form of buildings, but also as real life people ready to assist. Housing recognition was the focus of our last segment. The ability to identify who the Resident Assistants, Peer Advisers, Student Managers, and Residence Directors are is almost a must, essentially because, these people are your next door neighbors, your future friends, your classmates, and your first cheerleaders on the university’s campus. All of them want you to succeed, and will always be a listening ear to any issues or concerns you may have housing wise, and personally. The title “Live and Learn with RHA & NRHH,” screams one main principle, equality. Residents were informed from the very moment they stepped into the seminar that we are all just like them. We’ve all been in their shoes at some point, and we encouraged them to take the opportunity to equip themselves with the tools we’ve provided, and then turn around next fall and help someone else do the same. “Live and Learn with RHA & NRHH,” is a seminar that can be tailored and designed to fit the needs of the residents that live and learn in your halls. This is where the level comfort is built, in making sure you are available to assist them as they continue their year of growth. Allow your residents to grow with you, allow your residents to “Live and Learn” with you.
PHOTO CREDIT: NACURH 2014
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