Some might say Resident Assistants (RAs) absolutely love their jobs... and I would have to agree. So why do I love my job? Well here are five reasons why!
1. Moving onto campus early
Yes, moving onto campus before other students and their own residents is definitely a perk, as RAs have so many hours of training, making bulletin boards, and thinking of their first program and would not be able to keep up with everything if people were living on campus with them.
2. Having Programs
Yes, as an RA we try to be awesome and cool all of the time... even if our residents think getting condoms from their "mom figure" is embarrassing, we are just trying to keep them prepared and educated. PSA: Most programs have free food... and free is great!
3. Meeting So Many New People
Yes, as RA's we try to get to know every resident in the building and will call you out across campus to tell you about the program at 7 p.m. or the mandatory hall meeting tomorrow! We will always be that friendly face that parents love and want to meet on move-in day.
4. Having That Connection With That One Resident
Not saying that RA's play favorites, but as humans we all make connections with some people better than others. After the first week, I felt so connected to some of my residents and was excited to hear about their first week in college. Seeing residents grow makes our day. Starting to adult is an interesting endeavor.
5. Creating a Community
Creating a community is probably an RA's number one job. RA's always want to see the best their building, hallway, or wing has to offer. RA's often theme their door decorations and bulletin boards to match the personality of their area. Others might cook their residents dinner or just stop and say hello on occasion.
Resident Assistants definitely have a very rough job, but I will say that we love it. We love seeing our residents grow, we love seeing them come through hardship, we love seeing their A, B, or C paper that they worked so hard on and we cheer them on all the way through! Being an RA is definitely worth it... and I am beyond happy with my position.
