Welcome to the Smith Hall Community!

Welcome Badgers to Smith Hall! We have lots of exciting things planned for you and look forward to you helping us create traditions that can be passed down from year to year. Smith hall, which houses 425 residents, is located in the Greenbush Neighborhood with easy access to Vilas Beach, the Zoo, and the Arboretum. This hall features cozy suite style living with 4 or 5 residents sharing a bathroom.

Helping you create lasting friendships

From day one, there will be numerous opportunities for you to make friends and create lasting relationships. Don't worry -- most students are just as anxious about making new friends too. Come ready to meet folks -- introduce yourself, don't be shy. The staff and other students will provide plenty of opportunities for you to connect with students who live nearby, who share similar interests, or who have classes with you. It's important to balance both your studies and your out of time classroom so we offer these suggestions to you:

• attend your first house meeting on the night you move in
• participate in house and hall activities during Wisconsin Welcome Week -- campus events planned especially for new students at the beginning of the year
• volunteer to help plan house and hall events, start up a new interest group, get involved in hall government
• participate in community service projects, i.e. the Neighborhood House Community Center is three blocks away
• join one of 600 student organizations that are offered to students on campus
• leave your door open when your home and awake -- invite your neighbors in or drop in on other students

Supporting your academic goals

One thing we all share in common here in Smith Hall is that we are all students and want to do well academically. UW can be a tough school but there are plenty of resources on campus to assist you in achieving your academic goals. The students and staff will strife to provide an environment that supports student's ability to study in the hall. We also provide a variety of resources to support you. There will be tutors in the hall who can assist you with that paper or a subject that you are finding difficult. We offer "Class Connections" for students. You can find other students living in the hall who are taking the same classes as you and you can start study groups. It's a great way to connect with another classmate or borrow their notes if you need to.

There are two study lounges on each floor to provide you a quiet study space. There is also a Technology Learning Center (TLC) located right in the hall with a variety of computers and software packages to assist you. There are several classrooms in the hall so look forward to walking downstairs for that early morning class. Each room is equipped with state of the art internet access for you to do research on line. Once here, all Smith residents will participate in creating community expectations for their house which will aide in providing an inclusive community where students can get both their personal and academic needs met.

Providing things for you to do outside of the Classroom

There are a ton of things for you to do -- most of which are created by students like you. Thousands of dollars of your money are waiting to be spent; so don't sit back and relax, get involved and help make decisions about how this money is spent. Students make decisions about the kinds of programs that happen. Residence hall students have planned a variety of programs which have included: alternative spring break trips, socials, dances, basketball tournaments, LGBT Safe Zone training, trips to Chicago, Salsa dance lessons, intramural sport teams, production of a play, wacky Olympics, cultural dinners, study breaks, the list truly is endless.

There will be plenty of resources at the hall desk for you as well. Movies, cooking equipment, athletic gear, etc. will be available at the desk for you to use. There are also a lot of great resources on campus and in the Madison community. Sometimes we don't have to plan the programs -- we just need to go; whether it's attending a distinguished lecture series at the Memorial, a play at the Overture Center, or a checking out a local band at the Barrymore, the campus and community offer and endless supply of entertainment. Don't forget the food in town too. We also plan some events around tasting the local food -- it's really good!

Getting to know your roommate

We recommend that you spend time during the summer getting to know your roommate. This is the person you will likely be spending the most time with; definitely, call, email, or IM your roommate. There are lots of things you can talk about. Some suggestions include: What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies and interests? What's your major? What will you be bringing with you -- who should bring what? What are you comfortable sharing with a roommate -- stereo, microwave, etc. What are you hoping to get out of your first year? Once you arrive to campus, your House Fellow will work closely with you to get to know your roommate. You will be asked to sit down with your roommate once you arrive and complete a roommate agreement which will assist you in starting off on the right foot with your new roommate. Our experience is that students can have a great relationship with their roommate but it does depend on you being flexible, fair, and open minded.

Staff here to support and help you

Have questions? Want to plan a program? Need help resolving an issue? There are a lot of people here to help. A few of these people include:

• Your House Fellow is an upper-class student who lives with you who has a ton of information about most things you might be wondering about. If you don't know something, just ask, because their main job is to help you out in anyway they can.
• The Involvement Coordinator is another experienced student who advises students in planning activities, helps you start interest groups, runs Wisconsin Welcome events, and can connect you with campus and community resources.
• The Multicultural Resident Consultants (MRCs) are undergraduate students who serve as peer counselors and do intentional outreach to racial and ethnic minority students. They put on a variety of programs for students, and can provide additional support as you get settled on campus.
• The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Liaisons are students who serve as additional support to LGBT students and their allies. They also provide programming and resources to the entire hall community.
• Badger Buddies are returning residents who will help you move in and encourage you to participate in Wisconsin Welcome events.
• The professional staff members (Residence Life Coordinator and Area Coordinator) hold Masters Degrees and work in the hall with staff and students mentioned above to ensure that your experience in Smith is a great one. If you have any questions now or during the year please contact one of them (parents or guardians are welcome to call too!)
• Not sure where to turn -- head down to the first floor and check out the Residence Life Office. There are a variety of students and staff there to assist you.

What's unique about our community?

• Smith Hall is one of a few suite style living option for students on campus.
• All the rooms are air conditioned and students can individually adjust the heat in their rooms.
• Four to five students will be sharing a bath.
• Kitchenettes are located on each floor.
• Plenty of space to use for programs, studying or socializing with other students.
• It's the only residence hall located in the Greenbush Neighborhood -- this is the location where Italian and Eastern European Immigrants first settled in Madison.
• YOU -- you live here and you can make great things happen within this community.