I work as a Hall Attendant for my own resident hall and a few of the others on campus at my university.
I personally think it's the best job for me. That's why this week's article is about being a Hall Attendant and the truth of it all.
I'm always taking naps on the couches or the booths in the Underground Cafe. I'm a Hall Attendant. Just let me sleep.
Need Coverage? Good Luck.
Good luck finding coverage for your 1:30-4am shift. Have fun begging the other Hall Attendants in your hall to cover your shift so you can attend a family event, get more sleep, go out, and more.
As much as we could also use the extra money, there are certain shifts (especially those on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights), that are just extremely difficult to get rid of.
Being Productive at 2am... That's questionable...
They tell us, as Hall Attendants, that we're allowed to do work for our classes while we sit in the booth to do our shift. While indeed it's great to be able to sit there (making sure residents are swiping in), get paid, and get work done too; Let's be honest with ourselves -- analyzing and interpreting "Beowulf," or reading anything at 2am is just a lost cause. If you're like me, I think using my two and a half hour shifts are great to catch up on "Grey's Anatomy" or "Quantico."
Dinner? Well, Domino's Delivers.
If you're working the 6-8:30pm shift (or sometimes 6pm-11pm), you're not getting dinner on campus tonight. It's a good thing that Domino's delivers straight to your resident hall at Adelphi.
Some other places to order from for my fellow Hall Attendants:
*Avellino's Pizza
*Rustica Cafe
*Xin-Xing or King Wok Chinese Food
8am Classes? Well, Tonya can help.
I've definitely had my fair share of nights when I was working my own shift, or covering for someone else who previously worked for me, where I've worked until 4am, only to have to get up and be in a class by 8am. Luckily, if you visit the Underground Cafe in the mornings, there to greet you with a smile and a "Next on Line, what are you having?" and "Have a wonderful day," is the beloved Tonya. Tonya makes great coffee. She's helped me get through all of my 8am Pre-Calc classes whether I worked the night before or not.
Thursday nights can be interesting.
Everyone around campus knows that Thursday nights are "Thirsty Thursdays."
If you head on down to the Hofstra strip, you'll find Hofstra students and Adelphi students going bar hopping, drinking fishbowls, and having fireballs. If you're like me, you're working five hours in the Hall Attendant booth. Residents will often leave in groups between the 6-11pm shifts and return back to campus between the 1:30-4am shifts.
As they return back to campus, prepare for:
"I forgot my floor number/room number... Can you tell me what it is?"
Sure, this I can help you with. Have a goodnight!
"I'm locked out of my room and my roommate(s) is/are sleeping...Can you let me in?"
Sorry, I don't have a key to your room, only my own, please call or text the RA on duty and have them let you in.
I know what it's like to sit behind the glass and get all the residents to take out their IDs and swipe into the building. It can be very difficult when people attempt to sneak others into the building. Swipe in your guests, please.
Please remember, I didn't create the resident hall rules. No, I can't just let your guest in because you know them. If they don't have an Adelphi ID or a valid ID, they can't enter the building. Sorry.
Don't say that Hall Attendants do absolutely nothing.That's not true. We must learn the names and faces of the residents. Making sure that their IDs are being used properly. We must make sure that they get into their rooms safely and that the hallways are a safe haven for everyone.
I'm honored to be New Hall A's Hall Attendant of the month for the month of November.
Shelby and I both are. You can find us in the Hall Attendant booth on Thursday nights. Feel free to say hello and laugh with us.
To the other Hall Attendants: We're all in this together. Oh, and thanks for covering my shifts. You guys are the best!
