District 13 is a last resort technique. If dishes get to a point of no return - clogging up the sink, never being washed, growing bacteria etc. - there comes the time of removal. Essentially, if cleaning in your house has reached the danger zone multiple times with no signs of change from the community you can start taking the dirty dishes away to District 13. They can be earned back over time but until the community shows signs of change and a willingness to be responsible for the mess they create. This can have negative reactions from a community, especially if they feel you are an "authority" and just using your "power." You have been warned!
Instructions
Space
Your house kitchen area
Supplies
Free!
Step by Step
As I said above, be careful! Residents don't respond well to being reprimanded for their behavior even if their behavior is wrong and treating others unfairly. Communication is key for this technique and should only be used as a last resort or in the last weeks of Spring Term. Residents have been known to judge this technique as an exertion of power over their freedom to make a mess with shared resources. Try to be calm and clear as possible about the situation surrounding the issue and restate the multitude of chances they have had to change their behavior and provide alternate solutions. Make sure to run this by other RA's before trying because being heavily argued with about this issue can be upsetting and it's better to work through your situation first.
In other situations residents have responded swiftly to the vanishing dishes and kept up washing dishes even after earning dishes back. For those who have used this technique near the end of the year, residents haven't noticed as much and packing up dishes was a breeze. Use our best judgement and trust your understanding of your community.
Adjustments
You could try taking away excess dishes leaving only enough for each person in the house first.
Instructions
Space
Your house kitchen area
Supplies
- Yourself
- A space to hide the dishes
- Dish soap and sponge (if you need to clean them)
Free!
Step by Step
- Give your house warning of the situation - not being cleaned, last chance to change etc.
- If behavior persists begin washing and removing dishes left in sink
- Advise the community that you have begun this process
- Make sure they are aware that they can earn the dishes back
- Try not to penalize those who do clean - look into giving some people personal dishes
- Reintroduce dishes as necessary or move to a personal dish system
As I said above, be careful! Residents don't respond well to being reprimanded for their behavior even if their behavior is wrong and treating others unfairly. Communication is key for this technique and should only be used as a last resort or in the last weeks of Spring Term. Residents have been known to judge this technique as an exertion of power over their freedom to make a mess with shared resources. Try to be calm and clear as possible about the situation surrounding the issue and restate the multitude of chances they have had to change their behavior and provide alternate solutions. Make sure to run this by other RA's before trying because being heavily argued with about this issue can be upsetting and it's better to work through your situation first.
In other situations residents have responded swiftly to the vanishing dishes and kept up washing dishes even after earning dishes back. For those who have used this technique near the end of the year, residents haven't noticed as much and packing up dishes was a breeze. Use our best judgement and trust your understanding of your community.
Adjustments
You could try taking away excess dishes leaving only enough for each person in the house first.
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