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E-PrinceWhen we’re freshmen, our Residential College Advisers are like endless founts of information and expertise that we greedily soak up, like cool moms and dads that are perpetually present for advice but willing to turn a blind eye to ...(back to the article)
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a couple of immediate reactions
1) Decisions to have joint-class versus single-class study breaks are up to the RCAs. I (and most other RCAs I knew) almost always had joint-class study breaks, but they ended up becoming freshman-dominated ones because, well, freshman were the only ones to show up. The more common story is not RCAs not reaching out to and including sophomores, but sophomores not really wanting to be that involved in the 'zee group. And, that's totally cool - it's much better and healthier for sophs to already have well-established friendship networks outside of their neighbors/hallmates.
2) RCAs tend to have more freshman-class only study breaks in the fall semester because of the study break funding structure. We get specially allocated money for order-ins, like the LGBT and SHARE presentations. This is money on top of the regular amount we get every semester for general study breaks. Since sophomores have already been through these presentations (and trust me, they're not that exciting), it's pretty pointless to invite them. That said, we usually get much nicer snacks/foods for these study breaks since we have a separate budget.
3) inb4 "unrealistic/overly flattering portrayal of RCAs" - I'm glad you had a such a positive experience as a freshman, but you're probably in the minority. That's not to say that most Princeton students have negative experiences with their RCAs; most have good but forgettable relationships with their RCAs. After all, there's so much going on freshman year.
You know what would be nice? If the RCAs in this hall actually had study breaks. Maybe the college office should focus on actually making the RCAs useful for even that most basic of purposes before doing something idealistic.
I totally agree (and disagree with RCA 08)
My RCA has invited us to all of one study break with the freshmen (which we all showed up to.) I only know one of the freshmen on my floor and that's because my roommate is dating(ish) her.
Yay Camille =)
i agree. i haven't even met my RCA because after that one email to let me know what the bathroom code was he disappeared (or she disappeared - not very sure about the gender too)
more interaction between the sophomores and freshmen would be good. but to be honest your RCA can't be the only to arrange that. there has to equal initiative from the freshmen AND the upperclassmen. most of the time the freshmen clear steer of the upperclassmen
Can't agree with RCA 08 enough. At least in Wilson for the past couple of years, most of the RCAs have resorted to going door-to-door in a desperate attempt to get sophomores to attend study breaks. Again, it's totally fine if they choose not to, but it's certainly not for lack of invitation.