SUNDAY SNAPSHOT: FOUND PICTURES {FLASHBACK}

I was cleaning through some of my computer files this week and found some lost passive bulletins on my iMac and found some old pictures of my very own floor on my old laptop!

I have a soft spot for glitter and pumpkins. Mm fall.

So cute! Finding Nemo themed floor.

Residents wrote down their names for classes they were in
then they could connect on the floor to study.

 The number one reason I wish I could be an RA again? To decorate. I love decorating like no other, so much that I changed my floor theme 4 times my senior year.. (500 Days of Freshman Year, Sweet Girls , Alice in Wonderland, and Zenon.)

One side was decorated as the tea party.

The other side was decorated as the queen's garden.
Thinking back, I wish I had had those little furry
creatures used to play golf!

xoxo e

SUNDAY SNAPSHOT: HASHTAG #RESLIFE

'ello!

In my last Sunday Snapshot post, I mentioned that the other resident director and I would be venturing to other halls... and indeed we did!

Home Sweet Homa floor! Love it.

Big Bang Theory, Mario, I Love Lucy, and Aliens.
Really got a chuckle out of the alien floor (literally, a chuckle.)

I LOVE PRINCESS AND THE FROG!
Such an amazing floor.

Two buddy RAs did matching Dr. Seuss and it
turned out so well. One of my favorites for sure.

Angry birds! Van Gogh, dinosaurs, and heroes -
that Simba was an excellent use of window chalk.

Also, our center has been flying solo for a little while on account of our supervisor adding a new little darling to his family. We wanted to send him some love...

Last year we started this "tradition" of picking a theme for our marker board and matching things in that category to staff's personality. The only thing I remember from last year was that I was Rachael Harris (celebrities) & a kiwi (food items.) In addition to the two below, we've done Historical Figures and X-Men so far this year. And if you think this is simple stuff, you'd be surprised at how many battles we have about pinning a person to a categorical item (X-Men was created by one staff member, re-done by two disagreeing staff members, only to be reinstated. It gets real y'all.)

I never knew there were so many Crayola colors in the world.

So. Accurate.

And lastly, in addition to working with my RA staff, I get to meet and work with a wonderful group of freshmen ladies in our leadership program. I send them weekly e-letters about application deadlines, scholarship details, and upcoming events. We have our first dinner next week!

xoxo e

SUNDAY SNAPSHOT: FLOOR THEMES 2012

It is September 9th, and I haven't blogged in forever. Between training, opening, and school, things have just been such a whirlwind. A lot of things are changing {update on that to come} and from now on I don't only "hope" to blog more, I will blog more. Will will will.

Until then! Our RAs are back in action (and doing a wonderful job at that!) and I thought I'd dedicate this Sunday Snapshot to some of the hard work they've done on their floors, similar to my spring post. This week my Co-RD and I will be visiting other centers, so I'll post another batch of pictures next Sunday.

OU Memes theme - a nod to The Pride of Oklahoma.

Link! Legends of Zelda themed floor.
W has epic painting skills.

A park themed floor, with this SUPER adorable wreath.
She even served lemonade on her floor on move-in day!

This floor is my home :) Love how the olympic circles
spell 'Couch.'

There is usually a HP floor, but I can't even describe how
amazing this one is. I just. Wow. The right side pic?
Yes, an accurate illustration of our campus map.

Our floor themes are really quite broad. On one hand we
have cupcakes & icecream, and on the other we have..
laser beam cats. 

Art themed floor. Originally David had a leaf, but
someone gave him boxers this week!

Willy Wonka. Love the door decs.

Lots of kids themes this year!

Male floors.

So much painting by this year's staff!

Old cinema themed floor, complete with butcher paper
renditions of classic film posters.

Music themed floor - and I included her passive
because I loved it so much! Creative.

What are some of your favorite themes your staff does? Our RAs are a lot of fun and they never cease to amaze me with all their talent. Excited to see what spring brings!

xoxo e

an RA forever

I enjoyed being a resident adviser in college.

As each year passes, I find that it was much more than enjoyment. I loved that job.

One of my first residents graduated this month. I saw her about two months ago and she already has an absolutely wonderful job lined up. Graduating a semester early, she's the first resident I'm seeing enter the "real world." I didn't know that that would resonate with me, but it certainly is. As I sent her a message congratulating her, all these memories of her as a freshman came flooding into my mind. I was very fortunate enough to spend more time with her during undergrad in other student activities. I feel like I really got to watch her grow up and blossom from an amazing girl to an outstanding woman.

I feel so blessed to have had such a job that allowed me to meet so many people. I loved connecting to all my residents and learning about their aspirations - and it's just an even more wonderful thing to see them come full circle, to see them fulfilling their dreams.

After I graduated I wondered if I missed out on something in the college experience. I was an RA all four years, always lived on campus in the residence halls. Thinking about it now (7 months after graduation) I can't imagine my undergrad any other way. Each of my communities had a distinctly different personality and to think what my life would be like without meeting and interacting with those 40, 50, or 60 students that year - I just can't. I now, more than ever, cherish those years I had with the young, brilliant minds. And luckily, it's a gift that keeps giving as I see them graduate and move on.

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same." - Unknown

xoxo erikah