Are you gearing up for heading to university in the Fall? Whether you’re living on campus or commuting each day, this episode lends some valuable insight into how you should prepare!
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Ms. Erica: You’re listening to FYE Chats, where we have candid conversations with fellow AUSers who want to see you thrive during your first year. Today, Abigail Smith, the Women’s Complex Manager from the Student Residential Life Department, is joining us for the first episode of season 2, packing your bag for a successful year.
Welcome to the show, Abigail!
Ms. Erica: Let’s start with the basics. Moving away from family for the first time can be scary! What are some skills students should learn before they start living on their own in the residence hall?
Ms. Abigail: The great thing about college and living on campus is that you are going to learn so much in the classroom as well as outside of the classroom. In the halls one of our goals is to ensure you are improving in life skills in partnership with other departments on campus such as time management, how to manage conflict, and living sustainably, just to name a few
Ms. Abigail: When you leave every semester, your family should be happy with your progress\
Additionally, learning basic skills such as doing your laundry, cooking a basic meal and taking care of ones personal space.
To get a headstart students can start reflecting on their own, what would be some things I would struggle with while living away from home? This may be different for everyone, for me it was definitely laundry and cleaning my room properly which the summer before I left I shadowed my helper at home to pick up the essentials
Ms. Erica: I imagine laundry is a big one! Sounds like there is a lot to know - is there anyone in the residence halls who will be there to help?
Ms. Abigail: However no pressure, your Resident assistant, or RA, is here to help you along with other residents in the community. RAs are upperclassmen students who serve as peer mentors for you while in the residential community. They live in the hall with you and will be there to support your academic success, social development, and personal growth through programs and experiences within the community
Ms. Erica: Sounds like the RAs will be a helpful resource for when students are stuck. Now, probably more fun that laundry and cleaning is packing for university! In your opinion, what are the essentials that students should bring with them to their residence hall and what are some things that they should not bother bringing?
Ms. Abigail: Definitely NOT their entire room at home. Trust, you will end up leaving the halls with more items than you came with
Stick to things that you find yourself using weekly, and leave behind the items you didn't know you had - you wont need that teddy bear you forgot you had or that game console you have not played in over a year
Also being mindful that in case the halls close, you will need to be prepared to leave quickly
The room has the basic furniture such as a bed, study desk and swivel chair and garbage, so you may want to bring some decorative items, personal hygiene items, your favorite spices if you like to cook, items for classes, and items that are necessary to you.
Ms. Erica: I like the idea of bringing a few sentimental decorative items. When I was in university, having pictures of my family made the room feel a little more like home.
Ms. Erica: Next question is trickier. Students living on their own might need to begin considering how they budget their spending. How much money should students living in the residence hall plan to spend on their daily living expenses?
Ms. Abigail: This is a good question to ask
It is surely based on what one would like to experience while living on campus and if new to the UAE- this part of the world
One should factor in food costs (do you cook or not), transportation if you want to do trips to Dubai, how much will that cost
Its helpful to sit down with family to assess what financial support will look like while living on campus and for those who would like to work, what are the opportunities to do so on campus.
Ms. Erica: There really is so much to think about when it comes to finances! We can’t forget about textbooks either- Having a conversation with family beforehand could be helpful.
Ms. Erica: Once students are on campus, what are some things you’d recommend that they always carry in their backpack when attending class, even if they live in a residence hall?
Ms. Abigail: Sunscreen and a bottle of water haha! A must while living on campus, especially if you are walking from the halls to classes, it's important to stay hydrated and also well protected from the UV rays
A positive attitude- It's easier to be positive than negative, everybody is going through something. It's helpful to sprinkle positivity around campus everywhere you go and with each person- students, faculty, staff, visitors etc
Ms. Erica: Haha yes! Sunscreen and a positive attitude. I’d also like to add that you’ll likely have some valuable time in between classes that could be used for studying. As you think about your day, consider bringing the books you’ll need to make the most of study time throughout the day- even if it’s just a half hour at a time!
Ms. Erica: Okay, for a more fun question. What do you think is the best thing about living on campus?
Ms. Abigail: The community- living on campus is a unique experience, you probably will not have a community experience like this for the rest of your life.
You get to meet people from all over the world and build relationships on common and new interests.
You get to make meaningful connections on new information and challenge each other on important topics.
Most importantly it helps to reaffirm values about what it means to live in a positive community and helps you to understand what values are important to you
Ms. Erica: For sure. Living on campus acts like a bridge between being a high schooler and being an adult! Not only that, but it really is such a unique opportunity to make friends. Nearly all of the girls who were bridesmaids in my wedding were girls that I met living in a residence hall in college!
Ms. Erica: Abigail, do you have any stories of your own from your experience living in a residence hall?
Ms. Abigail: A multicultural experience, meet people from all over the world. Halls smell like food, music you have never heard, people celebrating various holidays. If invited take part and learn, some of these folks I am still friends with on social media and its interesting to see where life will take them.
Ms. Erica: Lastly, a question we ask all of our guests: What advice would you like to give to our newest first-years?
Ms. Abigail: You do not need to have your entire life figured out in your first semester. College is an opportunity for you to try new things, see what you like, what does it mean for you to fail, to be a leader and lead others. Step out of your comfort zone, thats where you will grow the most, Make connections with staff, faculty and upperclassmen students, learn from their experiences. Do not compare your journey with others, you are you and no one else can take that from you.
Ms. Erica: That’s such a good reminder- comparing yourself to others can cause a lot of unnecessary stress! Thanks for saying that.
Hope you enjoyed this chat with Abigail today. We can’t wait to see our residence halls filled with students once again. Thanks so much for listening to our show. See you next time, on FYE Chats.