Campus Resources Guaranteed to Make You Smile
Campus Resources Guaranteed to Make You Smile
Written by Lily Brown
TBH, this should have been one of the first posts I wrote about, but here we are. Hi! We’re the Smooling Fronds. F*ck. I mean, we’re your Resident Assistants. Close enough.
Anyway, as your slightly sleep-deprived, over-caffeinated, emotionally available-but-also-kinda-not RAs, it is both our duty and our personal brand to remind you that Emerson has approximately one billion resources—and that you should actually use them. Like, for real. Not just smiling and waving while they’re being listed out during orientation.
Whether you’re stressed about finals, your collegiate love life, landing a post-grad gig, or existential dread (because yes, it counts), the services here at Emerson are top-tier. And I promise I’m not trying sound like “promo city” over here. We all know how gatekept Emerson can be. And before you know it, you find out about this one resource you could’ve been using since your freshmen year but only discovered as a senior (or in my case, a grad student *sigh*). You can book a one-on-one session, join a support group, or just get a quick check-in with a trained professional who won’t judge your hoodie collection or your “I’ll start tomorrow” attitude toward wellness.
Finding the right resource can feel like a full-on shrimp’s odyssey scavenger hunt for the magic red jewel. Of course, you can use Emerson’s Concern Center, which is literally designed to help you find resources on campus. But lucky for you, your favorite RA already did it. So consider this your unofficial, slightly Silly Samuel guide to Emerson’s resources. Strap in. It’s chaotic, slightly informative, and will probably make you smile. Ooh ooh ooh!
How I felt when (RA)nts didn’t get the best blog EVVY nom
Academic Advising
Listen. As your RA, I’ve seen things. I’ve watched people change majors more times than they change their dining hall order. And honestly? That’s growth. And that’s where Academic Advising comes in handy dandy.
These are the people who will sit down with you while you’re spiraling over whether you’re “passionate” about anything besides iced coffee and Letterboxd, and help you piece together a plan that actually makes sense. They’ll help you figure out classes, internships, study abroad, and yes, even that vague “what am I doing with my life” question you pretend doesn’t hit at 2 a.m.
Also, Emerson people appreciate a good plan. Or, at least, the aesthetic of having one. Color-coded Google Calendars. Notion pages. ChatGP…just kidding. If that’s you (or if you wish that was you), Academic Advising is basically your co-pilot. They’ll help you map out your next four years so you’re not just free-styling your degree and hoping it works out.
And if you’re not a planner? Even more reason to go. Because that will catch up to you eventually. I’ve seen it. I’ve written the incident report.
Career Development Center
I know, I know. It sounds like one of those emails you ignore because the subject line says something like “Handshake Opportunity” and you’re like… is this a job or a phishing scam?? But I’m here to tell you—no, for real—they’re legit. Like, actually very helpful.
They’ll help you figure out what you even want to do (because “something creative” is not a job title), clean up your resume so it doesn’t scream “I peaked in high school clubs,” and guide you through finding internships that aren’t just unpaid trauma.
And those Emerge emails you keep side-eyeing? They’re not fake. I promise. I wouldn’t lie to you. As an RA, I’m contractually obligated to care about your well-being and success.
So, maybe click the email. Book the appointment. Let them help you become an employed, thriving Emerson legend.
EmConnect
Yes, I know. Another campus portal. I can already feel you rolling your eyes through the screen. But stay with me. I’m telling you this is where the magic happens. Or at least where you find free food beyond that one Slack channel. Which, let’s be honest, is the real magic.
EmConnect is basically Emerson’s version of a social feed, but instead of doomscrolling, you’re accidentally discovering a poetry slam, a film screening, or plot twist, an RA event with snacks. (Keyword: RA Events. You’re welcome.)
You log in with your Emerson creds, click around a little, and suddenly you’re like, “Wait… there’s a club for THAT?” Yes. Yes, there is. Whether you’re trying to:
Join a performance group
Find your people in multicultural orgs
Get involved in activism, politics, or service
Live your best media kid life (obviously)
or just show up somewhere with NY Pizza or Chipotle
The point is, there are a lot of ways to find your people. And that’s important, because making friends in college can sometimes feel like you accidentally walked into the wrong class and now you’re just sitting there hoping no one notices. But that’s exactly why you’ve gotta lean into EmConnect. Click around. Be a little nosy. Show up to something random just to see what happens. Worst case? You grab a free cookie and leave early. Absolutely no shame. Best case? You meet the people who end up being your new crew.
Also, I am legally (and emotionally) obligated to remind you: please come to our events! We plan them with love and a deep understanding that if there isn’t food, you’re not coming. (Plug: come to iParty with Victorious with your LB 7th & 9th Floor RAs.)
Emerson Wellness Center
Have you ever had one of those weeks at Emerson where you’re like, “I’m not sick, but if I dramatically collapsed in Ansin, would anyone notice?” Yeah. Same.
College doesn’t actually kill you, but it does convince you that a 3-hour editing session, two iced coffees, and one emotional breakdown is the norm. And suddenly you’re Googling “do I have a cold or am I just a Journalism major?”
Enter the closest thing you have to a school nurse: the Emerson Wellness Center, home to Health Services, Counseling Services, and UWill. These are your people for every “I think I’m dying but it might just be dehydration… or midterms… or situationship-related stress” moment. They’ve got both in-person appointments and telehealth, so you can get actual help no matter how you want or need to show up. No awkward explanations, no judgment. And it’s all confidential.
And before you say, “I’m fine,” that’s what everyone says right before they end up crying to Phoebe Bridgers. So maybe let’s not? Their whole thing is helping you actually take care of yourself (revolutionary, I know). Like making real decisions about your health, not just drinking water once and calling it growth. They’re trying to build a campus where wellness is normal, not just something you think about after pulling an all-nighter.
So if you’re feeling off—physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually—go. Book the appointment. Talk to someone. Hydrate. Touch grass (the Boston Common is close enough). You deserve to feel like a functioning human, not just a sleep-deprived content machine.
Healing & Advocacy
I know Emerson students LOVE to self-isolate and “process” by staring at the ceiling while blasting Gaga. I see you. I hear you. I’ve literally knocked on your door to make sure you’re okay. But here’s the thing. This campus resource goes way beyond Truman Time. And gosh darnit, I freaking love that beagle.
If you’ve experienced power-based interpersonal violence (PBIV)—or you’re even just sitting there like, “wait… was that weird?”—you do not have to play detective, therapist, and main character all at once. That’s where advocacy-based counseling comes in. Translation: a real human being whose whole job is to support you, believe you, and help you figure things out without any pressure.
We’re actually about building a campus where people feel good—like, genuinely supported. Think joy, community, healing, and yes… actually giving a damn about each other. So please, I’m begging you (lovingly, as your RA) to choose healing over turning your trauma.
Iwasaki Library
AKA the place where you swear you’re “locking in,” but somehow end up socializing just a little. And honestly, who can blame you when there’s a lifesize cardboard cutout of Dolly Parton that’s lowkey part of your study group?
I’ve watched people walk into Iwasaki Library saying “I’m gonna grind for, like, six hours” and then spend four of those hours whisper-laughing with friends, reorganizing their Spotify playlists, and staring into the void like they just got existentially humbled by a discussion post. But hey. That’s part of the process.
Yes, technically Iwasaki Library is here to “support academic research and creative work,” which sounds very polished and official. However, it’s doing so much more. Between Archives & Special Collections and Records Management, it’s basically Emerson’s version of ancient lore preservation. Like, imagine future students digging through records and finding your chaotic freshman Research Writing essay with five different fonts like it’s some kind of cursed artifact. Stay humble.
And let’s not forget, the library isn’t just about the books you forgot to read for class. The digital resources go hard. I personally watched Wicked for FREE through the library, which I’m pretty sure counts as using academic resources for good. If Elphaba can defy gravity, you can defy your procrastination. Probably.
Lacerte Family Writing and Academic Resource Center (WARC)
So boom, it’s week 10, your professor just said “final paper proposal,” and suddenly you’re rethinking every life decision. No, seriously. You walk in stressed, maybe a little feral, clutching a half-finished doc, and they’re like “let’s fix this together.” And somehow…they actually do?
At the WARC, you can book one-on-one sessions with real students (not scary ones, I promise) who will help you:
Turn your chaotic Google Doc into something that looks like you meant to write it
Figure out what your professor was even asking for in the first place
Stop writing sentences that start strong and then just kinda…give up halfway through (we’ve all been there)
They’ve got Writing Consultants, Academic Success Consultants, Peer Tutors, and even folks who specialize in English Language Learning. Also—major win—you can go in person or hop on a virtual session, so yes, you can get your life together without leaving your bed.
Student Care & Support
Imagine the Student Care & Support Office as the Smiling Friends crew, but instead of helping sad cartoon people with existential dread, they’re helping you not implode in real life. Think of them like a hotline for your life’s weird plot twists: academic freakouts, roommate drama, existential dread over a $5 coffee, or realizing you haven’t left your dorm in 72 hours.
They get pinged whenever someone notices a friend—or yourself—struggling. And yes, “struggling” can mean literally anything: mental health nosedives, wallet trauma, physical stuff, etc. Basically, if your life feels like a chaotic Smiling Friends episode, they want to hear about it.
And it’s more than just crisis mode. These folks are like your personal life-and-school GPS. You can slide in with questions like, “Am I failing this class?” or “How do I adult?” They’re here to guide you, brainstorm solutions, and make sure your life doesn’t turn into a full-blown dumpster fire.
So, see something sketchy, or even mildly concerning, report it. I know that’s a scary word, but I promise they’ll swoop in overly supportive, making sure everyone’s safe, supported, and maybe even smiling while navigating the mess that is college life.
At the end of the day, we’re all just trying to survive this circus together. Emerson has a bazillion resources and yes, you should use them. But also, we, as your RAs, are also your first line of defense against dorm-level chaos, existential dread, and those 3 a.m. “why am I even here?” spiral moments. We’re here to make sure you don’t implode, remind you that free food is real, and occasionally show up at your door with snacks and terrible puns just to see you smile.
