As the holidays get closer, Thanksgiving in particular, many college students may become homesick and just want to be surrounded by familiar traditions.
However, as we grow older, it is important to accept that each year we may need to make new traditions. If you live in a residence hall on campus, this is made a little easier for you. Here are some ways Thanksgiving is celebrated in the halls:
1) Creating festive floor decorations or bulletin boards; one of my favorite events to put on as a Resident Assistant was floor decorating because the majority of the floor came together with the common goal of decorating the floor and the result was something we could all enjoy!
2) There may be a thanksgiving themed floor dinner or event. If there’s not, ask your Resident Assistant if you can have one on your floor. Or you could have a Friendsgiving with all your friends!
3) Showing appreciation – When I was a Resident Assistant, I put little cut out turkeys in all of my residents mail boxes when a little message saying I was thankful to have them on my floor that year.
4) Another thing I did as a Resident Assistant was have a passive event where I asked my residents to write down one or two things they are thankful for on a cut out turkey and I hung them all up in a common place on our floor so everyone could see what others are thankful for.
Each hall, floor and Resident Assistant may do different things to ensure a festive environment over the holiday season, but don’t worry – they all do it!
And if you have any suggestions, talk to someone in your building whether it’s your Resident Assistant, one on another floor, a Desk Assistant or even the Hall Director! Every staff member loves hearing what residents of the building want to see!
Lastly, as we are on the topic of giving thanks and showing appreciation, don’t forget to be thankful and show appreciation for your Resident Assistant and other members of the Housing staff in your building.
It is because of their hard work, time and effort that your hall has likely become your home-away-from-home, and where you have already made many friendships and memories.
