Yes!!!

Today was our Residence Hall Association Executive Board Retreat.

RHA here isn't a very big or well-established organization. I've spent countless hours last semester trying to build up the organization; but it was a struggle. We hosted two programs - both of which went pretty well - but I was still doing a lot of things that an advisor really shouldn't be doing. I don't like having to be a very hands-on advisor; I prefer sitting back, letting the students run their organization and then challenge them in 1:1's and Exec Board meetings to reflect on how things are going and what they're learning. But last semester, we just weren't there. I found myself running meetings at time, taking care of a lot of the little details for programs and and and.

This semester, we wanted to start off fresh. We've added three new Exec Board members and I insisted on having an Exec Board retreat to start us off on the right foot. But it didn't start off too well...one of my Exec Board members sent me an e-mail Saturday to tell me that she was resigned (she got an internship - so I'm really excited for her but it still sucks losing her as an Exec Board member). One of my other Exec members told me that she couldn't make it (even though I emphasized over and over again how important this was; called it mandatory and and and) and one Exec member I never heard from (he didn't show up either...I have a feeling he's not coming back to RHA). But then, the meeting turned out great. There were only four students and me but we had a good conversation and we made some plans for the semester. We also split up tasks and talked about our roles and expectations of each other.

My favorite part was when we talked about the advisor's role. The students said I should be a safety net for them and then one of them added that my role should be even more minimal than it was last semester. She said that I'd gotten stuck with doing more things than I really should have to and that they need to learn to take care of those things on their own. YAY!!!

It's not that I don't want to do work. I'll always be there to help them when they need me. But it's great to know that they get the role of an advisor and that they want to take initiative.

I know this is going to be the best semester RHA has ever seen at this school. :)