As the year starts to come to an end, you may see a bit of a change in your residents. I know I am starting to spend more time on my own either in my room, the study lounge or the library. Everyone is different but some students may be keeping to themselves more as their workload increases, the holidays start to get closer and their schedules start to become more hectic. So, you might see less and less residents participate in your active programs. This is when passive programming can be really effective.
A nice benefit of passive programming is that it livens up the environment. Lots of boring posters and signs cluttering up your hallway? Throw up some funny quotes to liven the mood. Is that hike to the top of the stairs long and boring? Use that stairway to illustrate successful steps to studying. Passive programming gets information across while keeping things interesting.
Passive programming is also a great way to get information across that would otherwise go unnoticed and underappreciated. Residents sometimes need to hear this information but they don’t want to listen. Passive programming is almost like tricking your residents into learning.
Here are some passive programming ideas:
•Great Graffiti: In the bathroom, hang up a large piece of butcher paper and post silly questions to your residents like “What was your favorite 90’s cartoon?” or “Who is your role model?”
•Exam Eggs: To give your residents information about good study habits, puts little tips inside Easter eggs with some candy and hide them around the hall for them to find.
•STD’s in the Shower: Go to the PRC and stencil out one of the door hangers stencils. Write some information about STD’s on it and then laminate it. Hang it on the shower head and trust me, their eyes will start to read over it.
•Singing in the Shower: Again, cut out one of the door hanging stencils but this time, write out a favorite song on it. (Disney songs are the most effective, I think) This will help residents de-stress as they sing in the shower!
My favorite form of passive programming is door posting. I love it when my RA posts little bags of candy or coloring pages on my door. I feel like it is their way of saying, I am here and I want you to know that you can do this, without explicitly saying it.