I never thought that I would be an RA in college. I didn't really have a sense of what being an RA meant, or really even what an RA was. A friend encouraged me to apply to be an RA, and I did, almost too late. I had an interview, which I was so nervous for, I was sweating through my flannel. I thought I did well, but I had no idea. The rest, my friends, is history.
These are the 5 best things about being an RA, or at least my favorite things:
1. Leadership Opportunities
Ever since I was little, I would hear teachers classify students as leaders or followers. You were always judged on your leadership skills. I was a student that had good leadership, or so my teachers said. So, I ran with that, and whether or not I really did show leadership potential, I strived to become a good leader. Being an RA allows me to be a role model and a leader to my fellow RAs, my residents, and my fellow students. It's good to be able to practice good leadership and to learn more about how to be a good, effective leader.
2. Problem Solving Opportunities
I've always liked a good puzzle. Being an RA means solving problems every day. Whether it be roommate conflict or a broken washing machine, the RA is the one that has to solve a wide variety of problems in the residence halls. People learn quickly who the RAs are, and even if you are not on duty or if you are in class taking care of your education, people will look to you for help. It always feels good to be able to solve a problem using ingenuity or just plain common sense.
3. Relationship Building
This past year, I developed relationships with my residents and my fellow RAs. Depending on where you are placed, relationships with your residents can look different. For me, I took pride in knowing things about my residents and simply being able to say hello and ask about their days when I saw them. It can also be a challenge to build relationships between all the members of the community you are in. It is important to not only get to know your residents, but to get your residents to know each other. I also developed relationships within the res-life staff. I am a shy person until I really know people, so at first I was afraid of talking to anyone, and I absolutely HATED the team building activities we did. Now that I know people better and I am more secure with myself in this position, I am SUPER SUPER excited to play a team building game or two during training. Developing these relationships allowed me to give support to people, which I love to do, because I love being able to be the one to help someone, but it also provided me with a lot of support. My weekly AC meetings were not only check-ins about my work, but also unpaid therapy sessions.
4. DOOR DECS
I love to craft, even though I am a perfectionist with little patience. That being said, I absolutely LOVE making door decorations for my residents. It allows me to be really creative and show my residents that I am willing to take the time to make them feel welcome and cared for. It also feels really good when you get compliments on the door-decs you have made.
In general, res-life gives me a big opportunity to be creative. Creative crafting, programs, problem-solving, etc.
5. Triad Integration and Life Skill Building
Being an RA has helped me get to know lots of new people, which goes back to the relationship building. Warren Wilson College has a triad of academics, service, and work, and my work as an RA and a recycling crew member allows me to integrate the different parts of my life here at Wilson so I get a richer experience. It also builds skills such as communication, leadership, and teamwork, that I can apply to different parts of my life. It opens me up to new people and experiences, and that is pretty great.
