Freshmen adapt, thanks to RPS groups

As the semester progresses, more and more new students are learning the quickest routes across campus, where to find the best places to eat and how to cram two weeks' worth of reading into one night.\nMost freshmen have spent the last few weeks adjusting to their new lives and expanding their comfort levels. During this transitional time, Residential Programs and Services, the Residence Hall Association and resident assistants have been there to help.\nDuring "Welcome Week" hundreds of brightly colored fliers decorated the halls and bulletin boards in the residence halls to announce events. Most of these events took place in and around the residence halls, where the majority of freshmen live.\nThe purpose of these gatherings, which ranged from casino night to Midnight Madness at Wal-Mart, were to help new students meet their classmates and feel comfortable with their surroundings.\nAs the year progresses, different groups strive to help students, especially freshmen, experience new activities and meet new people.\nRPS plans many activities especially for students living in the residence halls.\n"In Touch," a weekly e-mail newsletter published by RPS, is a forum for residents to learn about different campus events. Past issues informed students about special offers exclusively for RPS residents, how to properly budget meal points and where meal points can be used.\nThe RPS special events coordinator also helps residents have meetings, parties or small get-togethers in the residence halls. All groups in the residence halls can coordinate movie nights, pizza parties, birthday parties, coffee houses and other gatherings.\nRHA, a division of RPS, also plans several on-campus and dorm-wide events for the year but with more student input. As the student government and voice of the residence halls, RHA allows students to help make important decisions for RPS.\nScott Zuick, a senior and vice president of programming for RHA, said he is now preparing for "Dusk 'til Dawn," an annual Halloween party held at Wright Quad. \nRHA is made up of executive, legislative and judicial branches of student government. Each residence hall has its own student government system. These smaller groups help plan events for their respective centers while RHA plans larger campus-wide events.\nSophomore Erin Ransford, president of Foster Quad, said with the help of the resident assistants and other members of student government, the student executive board plans activities for their own centers for homecoming, Little 500, special holidays and other annual events.\nMany residence halls have already held events this year, such as participation in the Breast Cancer Awareness Walk.\nRansford said she believes resident assistants and student government encourage more student participation and spirit on campus. \n"So far this year, enthusiasm is up and alcohol violations have gone down because an excellent staff of RAs have helped residents get involved," she said.\nAiding in the missions of the student government are the resident assistants, whose main tasks are to plan activities that involve students.\n"RAs are required to have one center-wide event per month, but each RA has their own choice of what they want to plan," said DeMeita White, a senior and resident assistant at Ashton Center. \nWhite also said each resident assistant is sent information about different events occurring on campus, and they encourage student involvement.