Game Nights

Objectives

• Build community
• Interpersonal bonding
• Hanging out and spending time together
• Encouraging team work
• Mix residents with people they don't usually spend time with

Summary
Game night is an awesome way to encourage residents to interact with one another in a team work capacity without having to get personal. You can arrange the teams yourself to put people who don't usually spend time together in the same team or you can just play as a whole house. Depending on what you are wanting to help build within your community to can pick any number of games. The key aspect of game night is your residents need to buy into the event otherwise it will be you and the same people who get involved in everything. Sometimes a reward or prize is incentive enough to get residents to attend.


Instructions
Space
Your house common area.
Supplies

• The game you want to play
• The instructions
• Prizes if you are so inclined
• Snacks
• Something to keep track of points

Funding
Depends on what you are planning to buy.
Step by Step

1. Gauge interest from your residents
2. Pick a time (After Dinner, Mid-week etc.)
3. Email residents a reminder
4. Make sure you get the game
5. On the night - explain the rules
6. Make sure everyone understands
7. Specify a prize or reward
8. PLAY!

Results
If the residents aren't interested in the game they lose interest fast, kind of like toddlers. Try to mix the games up but give them options to choose from so residents attend. They will want to play the game they chose generally speaking. I made paper crowns to go above their door tags to show who won that week and said we would have a grand prize. The only problem was in Spring Term it's hard to find a grand prize when residents are leaving. The night itself was a boatload of fun when majority of residents attended. There was a lot of laughter and bonding between residents who usually didn't converse ever. Another RA played games after community dinner as a way to keep residents around after eating, it became a tradition and worked well at building community.

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If you have tried this event and want to provide feedback please comment below!!