Continuing an RSA tradition, on October 4th a group of RSA members, NRHH members, Hall Councilors and residents at large set out on an adventure to Prindle Pond Conference Center in Charlton, MA for our annual Fall Internal Conference.
The evening began with a classic icebreaker of “Where the Wind Blows.” This activity starts with one person standing in the center of the circle and sharing a fact about themselves. If that fact applies to other people, those people will run to a different spots in the circle, and the last person left in the circle shares a fact about themselves. This icebreaker is a classic at many of the past internal conferences as it gets people moving after a long bus ride and we get to learn about the ways that we are all connected. The remainder of the night was dedicated to board games, free snacks and free time. Most of the night was spent playing Werewolf, which resulted in some friendly competition between the teams and some lively conversations (sometimes arguments too)!
The next morning started with breakfast and some NEACURH wake-up cheers courtesy of the National Communications Committee. Participants then began the “Space Race”, a series of activities on brand with this year’s theme of “Marty Goes to the Moon”.
The rest of the day was spent attending leadership development programs and workshops. Our members planned and presented their own 45 minute programs on various topics ranging from re-evaluating relationships, diversity & inclusion and meditation. Later on in the night after our healthy dinner of waffle fries and mac and cheese, the RSA executive board presented an additional three programs that are designed to be more reflective programs.
After a long day, we returned to the lodging space to work on homework, play board games, hike and write notes of appreciation to other members (we call these “peace trees”, thanks to NRHH!). The bags of peace trees are then handed out right before we get on the bus on Sunday so that members can read them on the way home and reflect on the weekend. This is a keepsake from conference that you can keep and remember how you “really enjoyed meeting new people and being able to share experiences with others” like one of our members said.
On Sunday morning, the group enjoyed some breakfast and was guided through a reflection activity lead by our advisor for the weekend, Meghana. During this activity, each person shared a nice memory that they shared with another person throughout the weekend, showing the new friendships formed between members and showing the impact of the conference on individual relationships.
Overall, Internal Conference was an amazing weekend where our members were able to make new friends, grow as leaders, and expand beyond their comfort zone. As one of our members put it: “I had the opportunity to do things I would not normally do in the city or during the regular semester.” Another one of our members thought “it was an unforgettable weekend and I would love to go on another internal conference!”
Want to join us in the Spring? Contact Kristin Ader at rsavpel@gmail.com for more information, and we hope to see you then!