Sample Emails for Advising Activities
It can be challenging to get your advising group together. Students are busy and don't always agree on what they want to do with their scarce free time. When planning an activity, you need to be proactive and persistent with emails and/or text messages, and make sure to follow up if you do not receive a response. Your messages should show enthusiasm, reflect personal interest, provide your advisees with options, and include a deadline for their response.
Here are some sample emails that associate advisors have sent their advising groups:
Sample 1: Start of semester/ first day of class invitation
Hi Everyone!!
Happy almost first day of class! I'm so proud of you :)
I would like to see all of you at some point soon to catch up. (Enter advisor name) and I came up with a great idea.....pre-class breakfast tomorrow to celebrate the start of the semester.
So....
You are cordially invited to join me for breakfast tomorrow at 8am in the Student Center. We'll meet on the couches in the middle of the first floor.
After breakfast, anyone worried about finding their way to class can go with me to get maps of campus/ take a tour of campus to see where classes will be held.
Please RSVP :) soon.
Looking forward to your responses....
-(Your name here)
ps. I would love to hear from everyone by tomorrow night to find out how your first day of classes went!
Sample 2: Peronalized message with activity options
Hi (Fill in advisee name)!
How are you? I feel like we haven't seen each other in a while. I heard you have been sick. I hope you are feeling better.
I have some information about advising that I need to pass your way. On Friday, October 2 (that's next Friday) (Enter advisor name) and I will be having "advising office hours" for everyone to stop by. We'll be in the Coffeehouse on the 3rd floor of the Student Center. Come and visit...we'll buy you lunch. We'll be there from 11:30 - 1:30. Please let me know what time you'll be stopping by.
Also, I really want to organize a fun trip for all of us. I have a bunch of ideas, and I'd like you to pick your top two and write back to me letting me know. The choices are: 1. Trip to get some Ice Cream 2. an afternoon at the Museum of Science 3. an afternoon at the Museum of Fine Arts 4. Shopping Trip 5. Game night/ dinner with everyone
Additionally, I have another special trip planned that I will tell you about when you email back.
Hope to hear from you soon!
-(Your name here)
ps. Send (Enter advisor name) a note letting her/him know when you'll be coming on the 2nd as well.
Sample 3: Follow up on initial invitation for activities
Hi All:
After everyone filled out the doodle, here are the dates for activities. Please note that I need RSVPs for each event.
Friday, October 23 (5-8pm): Yoga class at Prana Yoga and dinner in Central Square
Sunday, October 25 (2pm-3:30pm): Ice Cream trip to JP Licks or Toscaninis
Sunday, November 1 (1pm-3pm): Game Day with Desserts (everyone brings a special dessert/treat to share with the group)
Saturday, November 7 (1pm-4 or 5pm): Trip to Museum of Fine Arts
Friday, November 13 (6pm-8pm): Advising Dinner with Stephen and Leslie
Sunday, November 22 (1pm-4pm): Shopping trip
All of these dates were the ones that worked the best for everyone. I tried to take everyone's individual requests into account too.
Please email me which events you plan on attending. If not enough of you don't sign up, we will not do an event. Additionally, I want everyone to remember that each event will be FREE for you (except for shopping....that one you pay for on your own :P )
Hope to hear from you all soon
-- (Your name here)
Sample 4: Taking group out to dinner
Hi (Fill in names here)
How are you? How are your classes going? We haven't talked in a while, and I would love to catch up.
Would you like to grab dinner (in the student center/ in Harvard Square/ at restaurant near campus)? What time works best for you? These are the times that I am free (fill in blank). If possible, I would like to hear from you by the end of the week.
I know that MIT can be a really stressful place, but we should really keep in touch. It's my job as associate advisor to make sure you are doing well, and watch out for you during your freshman year.
I look forward to hearing back from you soon.
-(Your initial here)
Sample 5: Taking group out for ice cream
Hi everyone!
Are you making it through this month alright?
I want to get our whole group together for some bonding. Nothing says bonding like taking everyone out for ice cream! Let's go to (Toscanini's/ Berryline/ JP Licks) on (this day) at (this time). If possible, I would really like it if everyone could go.
I know that freshman year can be really tough, but it's always nice to have an advising group like ours to bounce ideas off of each other. I'm really looking forward to the discussions we are going to have at ice cream!
Please let me know in the next few days if you are planning to go with us.
See you there.
-(Your initial here)
Sample 6: Planning a free activity in the city
Hi (Fill in names here):
It's definitely time for all of us to get off of campus! Did you know that you can use your student ID to get you into a bunch of places for free around Boston?! We definitely should get together and check these places out. I would really like to take everyone to the (Museum of Fine Arts/ Museum of Science/ MIT Museum) on (this day) at (this time).
Please email me to let me know by next Monday if this works for you. I want to get as many people to go as I can. You will not have to pay for transportation. This will also be a great way for you to learn about the transportation system around the city. We'll be taking the (bus/T) so get ready for some fun.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
- (Your name here)
Sample 7: Going shopping to prepare for cold weather
Hey there warm weather people!
It's that time of the year when Boston/Cambridge start to get cold. You're probably wondering what this whole thing of wearing coats and scarves is all about. To fix that, we're going to go shopping!
Did you know that in a lot of stores around the city, you can get 15% off of your total by showing your ID. JCrew, Madewell, and Vineyard Vines are just a few stores that give discounts to students. Always make sure to ask when you're at the mall or shopping around town.
Let's plan a trip to go together to get some warm clothes. We can even make a stop and grab a hot chocolate along the way! Let's go shopping on (fill in day) at (fill in time). Let me know if this works for you. Please rsvp to me by the end of the weekend.
- (Your name here)
Sample 8: Going to on campus concerts
Hey there!
I bet you didn't know how awesome MIT's music ensembles are! We have so many different performing groups, and you get to go to all of the concerts for free! (MITSO/ MITWE/ Concert Choir/ Chamber Choir) is having a concert in Kresge Auditorium on (fill in night). It would be awesome if we all went together. Let's meet up at the Student Center before and grab something to eat, and we can all head over and enjoy some great music together.
Please email me back by Friday night to let me know if you're coming!
- (Your name here)
Sample 9: Invitation to an advisee's concert
Sorry for the late email, but (advisee name) has an amazing SOLO tonight in the MITSO concert!
It starts at 8pm in Kresge.
If anyone wants to go with me, let me know. I'll be arriving slightly late because I have choir, but it would be fun to have others there.
Hope to see you tonight.
- (Your name here)
Sample 10: Visiting some historical sights in Boston
Hi Everyone!
I know that history class in high school might have seemed a bit boring, but it's really cool to see all of the history here in Boston. We have the USS Constitution, the Freedom Trail, Boston Commons (America's first park!) and so many more. We should go check them out together. I think it would great for us to get off campus for a while. Let's go on (this day) at (this time). Can you let me know if you are interested in the next couple of days?
We can meet up at the Student Center and then head off for a break from studying and into the city!
-(Your initial here)
