There’s no single version of student affairs anymore. Some of us are starting over in new roles. Some just inherited Week of Welcome with no training manual. Some have half a hand on the exit door but want this semester to still mean something.
If you’re here, it’s because you’re still trying. That counts.
This blog isn’t about “best practices.” It’s about where student affairs professionals really are—Googling ideas, skimming ChatGPT for help, checking LinkedIn to see what everyone else is doing (or pretending to do).
It's now a proving ground for institutional memory, belonging, and trust. And most of us are rebuilding from scratch, trying not to repeat 2019’s playbook while holding on to what used to work.
New grad. Lateral move. Burnout recovery. No matter how you got here, you’re probably picking up pieces someone else left behind. There’s no shame in that. But it helps to name it.
Want to be bold in your next meeting? Say: “What if we skip the swag this year?” Tariffs are up, costs are high, and most students don’t need another pen. What they remember are live moments. A speaker who saw them. A show that let them exhale. A comedian who made them feel less alone.
If you’ve been reading up on trauma-informed practice, nervous system regulation, or even just looking for low-stress programming, here’s the secret: play is the delivery system. Whether it’s comedy, movement-based shows, or guided reflection sessions, Metropolis artists create safe moments that bypass burnout and land with care.
Yes, use AI to build the calendar. Yes, use Canva for signage. But nothing replaces live energy. When a performer commands the room, students feel it. That’s the moment their phone goes down—or goes up to record.
We don’t build lineups to tick boxes. We curate artists who live the complexity—who show up whole, who connect across generations, identities, and lived experiences. Belonging isn’t a checkbox. It’s something students feel when the mic is real, the moment lands, and the message doesn’t flatten who they are.
Because even when your heart isn’t fully in it; or your staff is too new or too tired—students are watching. And what we create during Week of Welcome tells them what matters on this campus.
You don’t have to do this alone. Let Metropolis Management support your team with:
Whether you’re staying for the long haul or just trying to make it through this term with intention, we can help make WOW matter.
📞 Contact Metropolis to book today. libby@metropolismanagement.com or michelle@metropolismanagement.com.