Bulletin Board #1

Hey Fellow RAs!

Bulletin boards are probably one of my favorite things about this job. :) They are a great creative outlet and it is important to take pride in them. Remember that it's not only your residents that will see your boards. University officials and administrators, as well as parents and prospective students, may see your bulletin boards.

This is my very first bulletin board as an RA.

Your first bulletin board of the year should have a school-related theme. It can be centered around school spirit, resources on campus, getting know the community, etc..
I choose a "College 101" theme to give residents the "Dos" and "Don'ts" of college life. I know the pictures is kinda hard to see, so here are my college "Dos" and "Don'ts"...

The Dos

• Do LOCK YOUR DOOR
• Do carry your ID on you at all times
• Do call SEEUS (SEEUS is our campus walking service)
• Do go to LAB meetings (LAB is our hall government)
• Do respect your roommates
• Do talk you your RA :)
• Do call DPS in the case of an emergency (DPS is our campus police)
• Do go to programs
• Do show your EMU Pride
• Do get involved!

The Don'ts

• Don't park in the ACD/AHD parking spot
• Don't skip class
• Don't walk alone at night
• Don't stay in your room 24/7
• Don't be a slob
• Don't waste your meal plans
• Don't procrastinate
• Don't break the rules
• Don't stress out
• Don't forget that you are not alone!

The key to making a good bulletin board (BB) is to be prepared. Here are some bulletin board tips to make your job a little easier....

1. Be prepared. There is definitely a lot more free time during the summer than there is during the school year, so why not start planning your BBs during the summer. I would suggest planning AT LEAST your first month's BBs. I drew small sketches of my BB designs and although I didn't stick exactly to the sketch, having an idea of how I wanted it to look was REALLY helpful.
2. Cut out letters and shapes during the summer. I went to my local school district's teacher workshop and used the die cuts. Even if you are not sure what your BB theme will be exactly, it never hurts to have seasonal themed shapes. For example, in my first BB I used the die cut to make different colored leaves for a fall theme. (Die cuts are great for door decs/tags too!)
3. Having trouble coming up with a BB theme? Search the web for holidays and awareness months. These can be great inspirations!
4. Stay organized! With all of your preparation, it can be easy for things to get all cattywompus. I used an old binder and bought some see-through sleeves. It was a great way to organize all of the cut-outs and letters I made by month.
5. Have fun with it! Don't be afraid to get in touch with your creative side.

Good luck with your Bulletin Board planning! :)