I was a Resident Assistant (RA) at my University for two years. Other campuses have different titles for the position, but the role is similar across the country. An RA is responsible for leading a floor, or in some cases an entire residence hall. The residence hall is the home for the students and it is up to the RA to help make it feel that way as well as working to ensure the efficiency of the operations within the hall. If you've ever been to camp, you can think of an RA as a camp counselor for the residence hall.
The position was a unique opportunity to experience leadership, self-development, and relationship building. When people find out I was an RA, one of the most common questions I get asked is: “What is it like?” So, for those curious, here is a bit of what it’s like to be an RA. And for those who are or have been an RA, you probably know exactly what I’m talking about.
1. You are still friends with your staff.
After everything you’ve been through together, it’s only natural that you’d create life long bonds. Your friends who have never been RAs just don’t understand why you never want to hear the phrase, “Where is the housing office?” again.
2. You are still catching up on sleep from the nights you were on duty.
There were those nights you didn’t finish rounds until 2 am because you got caught up in an incident and then received another phone call regarding a separate incident at 3 am.
3. You've spent more hours on Pinterest than on your homework.
Bulletin boards, door decs, hall decorations, programming. You may not have been very creative or crafty before, but you sure as heck are now. Or at least know how to pretend you are. Your residents don’t need to know you used a die-cut machine, a projector, and Pinterest to make your hall more interesting.
4.You now know you are capable of confronting any situation with grace.
There is nothing more awkward than talking to residents about how their sex noises are disturbing a community. After that conversation, you’re definitely a pro at handling awkward situations.
5. You understand the importance of getting off campus.
When you live where you work, it’s easy to get stressed out by the environment. Sometimes, you need to get off campus and forget that you have to spend the next weekend responding to noise complaints, vomiting, and alcohol violations because you’ll be on duty and can’t leave campus.
6. You know taking time for yourself is very important.
On top of being a full-time student, you are responsible for creating a community in your hall, building relationships with up to fifty residents, and helping to maintain a safe and an academically-supportive environment. Not to mention the weekly staff meetings, the four plus hours working the desk, and all the programming. Remembering you are a human being and sometimes need to shut your door for a day and binge watch Doctor Who is definitely important.
7. You're a pro at programming.
No need to hire a wedding planner for your big day. You learned how to plan your own as an RA. From small floor programs like having a frozen yogurt social to residence hall programs like a haunted house, you’ve planned it all.
8. You're constantly correcting people for using the wrong terminology.
Everyone around you calls it a dorm, but you know perfectly well that it is actually a residence hall.
9. You wouldn't trade your experiences as an RA for the world.
Being an RA taught you a lot about life, leadership, and yourself. You’ve made lifelong friendships with your staff and residents. You’ve grown in your confidence and because of all your experiences as an RA, you know you are more than capable of dealing with whatever life throws at you.
You just hope you never hear the sound of the duty ringtone again.
