Being a resident adviser/assistant (whichever your university calls them) is a fantastic experience, overall. Sometimes, I don't even feel like I'm working, but instead hanging out with people who I have to get things done with.
On the other hand, the job comes with a lot of stressful times and paperwork. Oh boy the paperwork.
Here are 10 things every RA wants their residents to know.
1. We are students, too.
We have classes, social lives, significant others, other obligations, etc. We try to be in the building as much as possible, but sometimes you need a break. We cannot meet your every demand, solve every problem as they arise or be there at your beck and call.
2. We are not your mother/father.
So we will not do your laundry, your homework, make you food (unless it is a special occasion/event) or clean your room. You’re in college. You’re an adult. We can teach you how to do these things if you need help or maybe offer to show you where your class is.
3. But we will protect you like a mama bear protects her cubs.
If someone is talking some mad smack about you, we'll stand up for you. We feel proud when you accomplish great things and may cry a little with you when your significant other dumps you. We take pride in our residents.
4. We can be a cool older sibling or friend.
In fact, we want to get to you know and have a relationship with you. It’s no fun when your residents don’t want to talk to you or like you. It is hard to create relationships when you give us one word answers or even say hi to us in the hallway. Or come to house/hall/floor events. (Just saying.)
With this job, you don't get to hang out with people very often, so you hang out with your staff and your residents. Some of them will more than likely become your friends.
5. We aren't out to get you.
Think about this: if we write you up, that’s more paperwork. Twenty or more minutes that we could be doing other things (like homework or helping a resident with something). Then, our supervisor has to look over that paperwork, send it back to us with more questions, talk about it in a meeting, meet with you, have a follow-up with you, and possibly attend a conduct board hearing. Does that sound like a lot of time to you? Because it is. We don’t have time to target residents personally and write them up for everything imaginable.
At that point, our bosses would be like, “WTF are you doing?”
6. We know mistakes happen.
If you do something wrong, just admit it. We've more than likely been there, too. If you get caught with alcohol in your room and your hall doesn't allow alcohol, don't try and hide it. We can smell it and we heard the clang of the beer cans before you opened the door. Fess up -- we may be disappointed, but you won't lose our respect.
7. We take slamming your doors in our faces personally.
Maybe not all of us, but there are some of us. We plan things because not only do we have to, but because we want to hang out with you.
8. Try inviting us to things sometimes.
I know we can be busy (myself included), but we want to see you succeed and have fun. Going to eat at the cafeteria? Invite us. Rugby game? Invite us. Dance recital? You got it -- invite us. Turn the tables for once.
9. Just go to the mandatory meetings.
We hate them, you hate them; let's all suffer together. If you go, it makes us happier and then we don't have scramble to find you to make up what you missed. Just please please go.
10. Even when we get stressed, you guys are the reason we took the job in the first place.
Yeah, the stipends are nice. The benefits are pretty good. But seeing residents succeed or have fun at one hall event, that's the best part. We like happy and involved residents!
