RipOlympics 2016: Battle of the Tartan was a huge success!  Well done to everyone who volunteered and participated!  Check out these fantastic team photos from the event:

Don't forget to let your residents know about room lottery!

10 Backpack Essentials for the School Week

Each person may have a different set of essentials for their backpack. Throughout the years, I’ve found these 10 things to help me out the most during the school week:

1) Pencils and pens

This one is a no brainier, but for some reason some people still seem to forget a pen or pencil. It’s always a smart idea to have a pen and pencil in another compartment in your backpack just in case your sole writing utensil happens to disappear.

2) Hand sanitizer

Having a small hand sanitizer in your backpack helps you out more than you would think. Sometimes, right before a meal, it’s inconvenient for you to go to the bathroom and wash your hands – especially when you’re on campus. But if you have this on you it’s a quick way to kill those germs.

3) Water bottle

It’s definitely important to stay hydrated during the day. It keeps you healthy and energizes you. The health benefits are endless, so make sure you’re sipping on your H2O all day!

4) Planner

Writing down future due dates and test dates is extremely helpful. Even putting events from your personal life in there is a good way to stay organized, so be sure to add your work and club schedules in there are well. Staying organized in this way will alleviate a lot of stress in your life.

5) Laptop

Besides the obvious reasons that your laptop is important (assignments, email, etc.), it’s also a way to pass time between classes or things you have to do on campus. Which leads me to…

6) Headphones

Don’t be that annoying person who forgot their headphones and decides to watch a quick Netflix episode between classes. Also, other people aren’t interested in listening to your music most of the time, so having headphones with you while on campus is essential!

7) Gum/mints

Many people don’t think about this one, but it can really help you out. Sometimes the cafeteria might serve something with not the best aftertaste and you have to meet with a group project right after. It’s convenient to keep with you just in case you really need it and don’t want to feel self-conscious all day.

8) Wallet

You want to keep your personal cards and money with you always, but DON’T leave your backpack unattended with these times in it. Plus, you’ll never know when you might be craving something from the vending machines between classes and need a quick dollar bill.

10) Chapstick

Don’t you hate the feeling of dry, cracked lips that you keep licking during class? Having Chapstick in your bag at all times is a great thing to remember so you don’t have to use a friends with the potential to get sick.

Now, check your backpack to make sure you have these 10 crucial things to get you through the school week!

Room Lottery is Coming Up!

Thursday, April 7th in East Hall Little Theater!

RAs, make sure you are letting your residents know all about it!  TAJ staff was busy last night making butcher block signs for their floors:

If you would like to make some added publicity or email your floor, here's some info for you!

Room Lottery Info:

What:  This is where you will choose your rooming assignment for next year

Who: Everyone must attend Room Lottery EXCEPT…

·        May 2016 Graduating Seniors

·        Students who will be RAs next year

·        Students living in Greek Orgs next year

·        Students living on a themed floor next year

·        Students living in Campus Apartments next year

·        Students studying abroad next fall

When: Thursday, April 7^th

·        6:00pm = women who will be SENIORS next year

·        6:40pm = Women who will be JUNIORS next year

·        7:20pm = Women who will be SPPHOMORES next year

·        8:15pm = Men who will be SENIORS next year

·        8:50pm = Men who will be JUNIORS next year

·        9:30pm = Men who will be SOPHOMORES next year

Where: East Hall Little Theater

How: This is how room lottery works…

·        Step One = you’ll receive an index card with your name and lottery number

·        Step Two = You will come to the front of the room when you/your roommate are called

·        Step Three = You will choose a room from those shown as available on the floor charts

Why: If you do not attend room lottery you will not have housing for next year. 

If you cannot attend, please send someone in your place – a roommate or friend – with a signed piece of paper giving them permission to select for you!

Fool's Paradise!

Hey everyone!

There is an awesome opportunity tonight if you or any of your residents enjoy playing games!

Hope to see you there!

Here's a #ThrowBackThursday from Winter training! TAJ staff built an amazing beyond-all-belief blanket fort using an endless amount of blankets and couches. The TAJers were replenished with the ambrosia that is Domino's pizza. #nom. Look how cute they are!

If you're looking for a program idea, why not have a blanket fort building contest? Or a pajama party?? Of course, it wouldn't be complete without pizza. Because pizza is bae.

Get a load of THIS RA's story

By now I hope you all have discovered the beautiful RA resource of Reslife.net...

One of the awesome things you can find on this site are funny stories that RA's have submitted, here's one that should be shared with you all because while we see crazy things at Ripon sometimes, I don't think anyone here has had to deal with this one...

Scary Tampon Drawings

In my year as an RA, I saw a lot of crazy things. From drunken messes, to shiny fits of rage between roommates, I didn’t think anything I saw was too out of the ordinary.

That was until the tampon bandit struck.

Someone, (we never figured out who), decided to show their artist side in the form of painting the bathroom stalls…with used tampons. Out of five stalls, they struck four of them leaving each with a 2’x2′ drawing. Some drawings were simple geometric shapes, some were initials, and one was just a big long streak of menstrual blood. The first night I found it, I was so shocked I didn’t know what to do.

My girls had done some pretty dumb things, but this was above and beyond what I thought they were capable of. The second time it happened, I just cried. My co-RA and I tried to find humor in it, but it didn’t work.

It didn’t happen a third time, and for that we are thankful, but that was the worst night of being an RA I have yet to have.

And of course I know that by saying that, I am bound to have a worse night yet.

              -Anonymous RA

For more funny and relatable stories, check out http://reslife.net/you-will-never-believe-this/