Resident Assistants are a special kind of person. It takes a lot to be responsible for a whole hall of people, to plan events, to listen and to enforce the rules. However, because of this, RA’s also make pretty great friends. Here are four things that you know to be true if you are friends with an RA.

1. They can’t just "hang out" whenever.

As much as they might want to, RA’s can’t always go and do things last minute. Whether they’re on duty the whole night or have a hall event, they often have a lot of commitments. If you want to hang out somewhere other than their lobby, you’ll have to plan it in advance. On the flip side, you’ll know where to find them when every Wednesday night.

2. They care about people.

If you know an RA, they’re probably a caring person. Getting woken up in the middle of the night, planning hall events, building community and offering advice aren’t things just anyone can do. Your RA friends really have caring hearts for the people around them. They are kind and compassionate people.

3. Sometimes they really need to get off campus.

After a long night or weekend of being stuck on campus, sometimes they just need to get away. Being responsible for so many people can be stressful, so doing things besides hanging out in their lobby together can lift the pressure in a much-needed way. Maybe it’s just a fro-yo or Taco Bell run, but it can make a big difference.

4. They need people to listen to them too.

RA’s really care about other people. They love to help and they will gladly listen when their residents need to talk. However, they also need people to listen to them too. Sometimes they’ve had a rough day and need to vent, or they just need to talk to someone without having to filter everything. That’s where it’s vital for RA’s to have good friends that they can talk to. Encouraging friends really can make all the difference in lifting the stress of being an RA.

RA’s make some of the best friends. They are caring and compassionate and truly invest in the lives of the people around them. If you are willing to work around their schedules, listen to them when they need to talk, go off campus and make sure they have fun sometimes, you will be doing a lot towards making a tough job easier. So go tell your RA friends how much you appreciate them. They’re pretty special.