Part of my job as a resident assistant (RA) is to create different monthly bulletin boards for my floor. I, along with my co-RA, always try to make them a bit unique, even if a template for each theme is usually provided. While there are still a couple of bulletin boards left for the year, I wanted to share my top five bulletin boards thus far.
1. All About Me
Directly next to my door is my All About Me bulletin board. The purpose of this board is to share small facts about me so that my residents feel like they know a little bit more about their RA. There are a lot of things I like about this board. First of all, I love that I got to choose the theme. There was no guided template or anything from my hall directors, so I really got to let my creativity shine. That being said, I love the Bluey theme. Bluey is one of my favorite shows and she is one of my favorite characters, so I was excited to include her in some way in my floor decorations. Secondly, I am so happy that I decided to use a combination of aesthetic and fun photos I took (it clearly paid off because someone took my Trevi Fountain photo). In short, I am so happy with the way this board turned out and the direction I decided to take it.
2. Campus Resources
I wish I could take credit for the idea, but my co-RA was the one who decided on the Snoopy theme. While I wasn’t the one to come up with it, I still love how this one turned out. If we could’ve kept this bulletin board up all year, I would have. Not only were all the different Snoopy cutouts so adorable and a floor favorite, but all the information on the board was super useful for freshmen students. By scanning each QR code, students were taken to various university websites that they might need throughout their time living in the dorm. I think the board was a great combination of creativity and relevance.
3. Illuminating Identity
The template for this bulletin board was provided to us. I decided not to change it; instead, I brought my own twist by creating the spotlights in the upper corners. To make the spotlights, I used the Cricut machine inside my area’s RA office. This was really fun. I had never used a Cricut until I became an RA, and I love how simple it makes creating elaborate designs. I never would have created the spotlights without it! I also love this board because the message about uplifting everyone’s identity is so important. As an RA, I want everyone on my floor to feel welcome, both by their neighbors and me. I also think it’s important that people remember they are free to be themselves without judgment. This bulletin board was a great reminder of that.
4. Winter Closing
Although I love all my bulletin boards equally, the winter closing board is one of my absolute favorites. Before leaving for winter break, residents need to take care of some things in their rooms, so this board was meant to instruct them on how to complete those tasks. It just so happens that winter break falls right around the holidays, so I decided to use my favorite Christmas movie, Home Alone, as inspiration for the board. Despite the content of the board being extremely important, the giant Kevin McCallister cutout really stole the show. Personally, I think that this is my most creative board of the year! (It’s also the one my residents complimented the most, but that’s beside the point.)
5. Women’s History Month
My final bulletin board on this list also happens to be my most recent. As an RA on an all-girls floor and with Women’s History Month around the corner, I knew I wanted to do something special for this board. Women’s sports have been gaining major attention lately (as they should), so I decided to center my bulletin board around female athletes. It was really hard to narrow down the list to six prominent figures, but I decided to go with a mixture of past and present record breakers. I wanted to include well-known names, like Sue Bird and Simone Biles, while also featuring some current athletes, such as recent Olympic gold medalist Laila Edwards. Most of the women I included, if not all, do more than just shine light on their respective sport; they also advocate for change. That’s what I love most about this bulletin board. It combines two super important things to me: advocacy and sports.
While I completed more than five bulletin boards this year, these ones really took the cake. They are a great combination of creative, informative, and relevant to my floor. Along with that, I really enjoyed all the different ways I got to let my values and personality shine in each of them.