This article is the second in a series entitled "What About Their Hands." The series features the everyday, servant leaders around the Georgia College campus and surrounding Milledgeville area. These anonymous people have shared their personal stories in an effort to inspire others to serve others.
This week, our servant leader is a CA (or RA) who works in one of the freshman dorms. Here are her six reasons why she loves her job so much:
1. "I have learned what being a leader really looks like."
"You can't just not answer when your residents need you. One of the first lessons a CA needs to learn is that being there for people, especially freshman, can be influential. Being a leader as a CA means being reliable, being a rock for the new students, and always listening before responding."
2. "I have been pushed outside my comfort zone."
"This whole job was unlike any I had had before and there was definitely a learning curve. But I like being challenged and pushed because I have grown. For example, I am not a huge fan of conflict but as a CA, conflict resolution is just part of the job. I like how this job challenges me and has helped me grow because now I can help me residents be challenged and grow too."
3. "I have the privilege of mentoring students."
"Last year, I didn't feel like I was good at anything, I didn't have great grades, and I didn't have a purpose. I look at my residents and wonder which of them feel the same way I did when I was in their shoes just a year ago. I want my residents to know that being new is okay, and not knowing where you fit in is normal, and there's nothing wrong with you.
Sometimes drawing the line between friend and CA is tough, though. I want to give grace all the time, but I have to sometimes make tough decisions. But I want my residents to know that I really am working in their best interest."
4. "I get to be creative and crafty."
"Creating programs and decorating doors and posters is definitely a perk of the job. It gives me a chance to allow my own personality to be reflected in my work."
5. "I play a part in building community."
"Community is something that I missed my freshman year. I saw how others around me were part of a community, but I felt that missing a piece in my life and not only do I have a community this year, but I get to include students in my building in the same one. I let them know that we want to invest in them, serve them, and support them!"
6. "I get to see the impact I have had."
"We do things because we care about the people our actions affect. I care about these students so incredibly much and I want them to know that everything I do is in their best interest."
