As a Residents' Assistant, one of our many jobs is to connect with the students and become someone who they can come to if they ever need anything. There are two kinds of RAs. There's the kind who are available and do their job well, and then there's the kind of RA who brings the residents together and makes personal connections with each one of them while also doing their job.
I like to think of myself as the latter. I make sure to get to know each and every single one of my residents, even if it's just something as simple as where they're from. Knowing something simple just like that can create a bond that allows them to feel comfortable with you so they can come to you with a question, comment, or other burning issues.
Having someone who you can go to for help is probably one of the best ways to feel at home in a new environment. Not only that, but the great thing is that you can both help each other. You may have a question about the campus or about an event, and your RA may need that engineering student's help to set up her space-saver wire shelves. Working together to create a sense of community in the residence halls is so important for that reason. A residence hall is an environment you want everyone to feel safe and comfortable in, especially since college can be really stressful, especially since it's the first time away from home for a lot of students.
Whether you are five minutes or five hundred miles from home, it can be hard to be away from home. For some, you're leaving the safety net of your parents, siblings, hometown, and even your bed. It can be scary leaving the only thing you've ever known behind, especially when it's in favor of the unknown. For others, they cannot wait to be out of the house and far away, but in thrusting themselves into college life, they sometimes realize later the reality of what has happened, that they're out on their own. This is why it's good to be able to have someone like your RA to talk to. They've been there before; they probably know all of the different emotions you're going through, and they won't judge you for that. RAs are students too, and the main reason they are a resource for the student body is because they're supposed to be approachable and relatable.
Having a bond with your RA is great because you'll always have someone to talk to, go to dinner with, grab coffee with, or even just talk to. If you create this special bond and allow your RA to get to know you, it makes it easier for them to foster this community in your dorm hall. If they know you better, it's a lot easier to create programs and activities that the community could take advantage of.
I can honestly say that becoming a Resident Assistant is one of the most challenging, yet rewarding things I've chosen to do. I have realized so much about myself and those around me, and I've gotten to meet some amazing people with great hearts. I couldn't be happier to say that I have the privilege to help these residents grow this upcoming year.
