This past weekend I returned from a trip to San Diego for the annual NACURH, Inc. conference. Folks in residence life may be familiar with NACURH – the National Association of College & University Residence Halls.
Although I’ve been working in residence life for a collective 8 years, both as a student and professional, this was my first-ever trip to a NACURH conference. NACURH is the national organization that many RHAs (Residence Hall Associations) are affiliated with. As the advisor to a National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) on my campus, I was able to attend with a group of my student leaders.
Like most student affairs professionals, I’ve been to my fair share of conferences, ranging from ACPA and APCA to NACA and the national Habitat for Humanity Youth Leadership conference. Yet, somehow this particular conference was a tad bit different. First off, it was run by students for students… that’s the special thing about NACURH. This conference had energy, pizzazz, intensity, and a sense of pride. All of this reminded me of an important lesson that I am guilty of forgetting.
That lesson? Be excited. Be energized. Be proud. Be all of these things in the process of our daily routines.
I was in awe through the duration of the NACURH conference. So much energy. Students standing, chanting, screaming, and applauding their home institutions and regions. Students dancing on the sidewalks, making up cheers and chants, and dressing up in costume. It was wonderful to see so many student leaders from across the country under one roof with so much excitement.
This conference caused me to reflect… What excites me? What energizes me? What am I proud of?
I wrote this blog post to get us all thinking about these three questions. Feel free to share. After all, we need to constantly remind ourselves of why we do what we do. We need to remind ourselves that there are things that excite us, energize us, and make us proud here in the student affairs profession.
Feel the excitement (NACURH 2010)
