There's a lot that goes into the life of a college resident assistant. They’re the person that residents go to for guidance and support throughout their experience in the dorms. They deal with all of the joys and concerns regarding dorm life. They’re assigned a room in the dorm and spend the majority of their time with students on that floor. An RA is there to implement the rules, mediate any conflicts, and offer support for students.

Derek Thompson has been an RA for two years at Washington State University. Last year, he was an RA for Gannon-Goldsworthy Hall. This year, he moved to Olympia Hall.

“My favorite part about being an RA is getting to know the residents. Everyone has their own crazy story about who they are and where they came from, and it’s really interesting getting to know the residents,” Thompson said.

Thompson currently handles over 47 residents on his floor, and he says there are a lot of obligations he has throughout the year.

“There’s a lot of things, one being arts and crafts. I have to make bulletin boards about upcoming events, make programming events, door decorations, I live on the floor so I’m always there if my residents need to come talk to me about anything, it’s kind of like a 24/7 job,” Thompson said.

Being an RA can be time consuming, but there are some benefits. At WSU, room and board are covered. Additionally, you get a free residence dining account, which covers your food expenses. Thompson says that he will probably apply to be an RA again next year, as well.

“I’m happy that I made the decision to be an RA. Ever since I came to school, I’ve always told my friends that this is something that I wanted to do. I got the job, and I can’t picture my life without it. It does take up a lot of my time, but it also keeps me in line so that I don’t procrastinate and I can set a good example for my residents,” Thompson said.

Marcus Barrow is former RA for Olympia Hall. He says that he really appreciated being an RA, especially after having to pay for rent this year.

“I’m happy that I was an RA for that one year, it was a good one year. It was a good financial situation, I had a free year of room and board, the food was covered and the people were great,” Barrow said.

Barrow says that being an RA is a great opportunity to help make the residents' dorm experience a positive one.

“Some advice I would give to anyone thinking about becoming an RA is that you have to be patient and understanding for this job. You also have to know how to manage your time wisely, because there will be a lot thrown at you. Anyone can be a great RA if they put a lot effort and passion into it,” Barrow said.