I am A Resident Adviser.

Being an RA, or Resident Adviser, is certainly not for everyone. It takes up a lot of one's time, sanity, and energy.The biggest challenge of the job is that not only are we looked at as role models for our community and to our institution, but we are also still students. We have to go to class, get up early, stay up exceptionally late, and we have just as much work to do school wise if not more due to all the constant paperwork that comes with the position. We also lose a great bit of our social lives, and not to mention our personal time. The responsibilities of an RA are plentiful but, I must say the job is just as much rewarding as it is challenging. I will never regret my decision to become an RA, but I will share my highs and lows of my first year as a Resident Adviser to Freshmen and transfer students.

The highest of highs definitely begins with the bonds that I created with staff, professional staff. As a resident adviser you meet so many people, and they are all different in more ways than one. Personally, I met some great people who made the job more enjoyable for me. I don't believe I would have ever crossed paths with these people if it wasn't for us all applying and accepting positions as RA's. This may not be reality for all RA's, but I certainly gained a tight knit family from this job and even a close friend that I can see myself staying connected with for years to come.

As for the lowest of lows, I definitely struggle with my loss of free time, "me" time, and so on. Being an RA is a very demanding job. Residents, especially new students, need help on a day to day basis. Whether it's helping schedule classes, giving advice, submitting their maintenance issues, or confronting inappropriate behavior, it's almost never ending. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love helping residents, especially because most of the time they are very appreciative, but it definitely takes a lot of time away from myself. There are days where I don't feel well, I may have a lot on my plate, or I miss my family, but I am still an RA and when my residents need me, I have to be there.

But anyway, how about another high? One of the best things about being an RA is the close relationships that I can develop with the residents of my building. It's a great feeling to know that a resident feels comfortable just having a friendly conversation with you, and doesn't see you as "the bad guy". I love when I see my residents outside of my building, like in the dining halls, or at the gym, and they give me a huge smile! It's really nice when they acknowledge my existence as more than just their RA but also as their friend who they have respect for.

Back to a low, being on-call is a sacrifice all RA's have to make. Being a part of one of the larger staffs blesses me with the opportunity to be on call less than individuals on other staffs, but regardless when I am on call (one day out of the week, and one or two weekends out of the month), I am glued to my community. I can't leave to go to the library, and I can't go hang out with friends who live in different communities either. Obviously the reason for these rules are completely understandable because if something were to happen, I would need to be able to respond to the situation as fast as possible. Although on really slow nights, where no one calls for any help or assistance, it can feel like you are trapped for no reason.

I really enjoy being an RA, another perk is the experience and skills it allows you to gain! I now know how to put on an amazing program, communicate well with professional and student staff, and I've learned how to be a leader for my community. I've made good use of my time in my second year of school. I don't know how motivated I would have been if I did not accept this leadership position.

And lastly, of course I have to end off with another high. Being an out of state student, means higher tuition. The RA position is the only reason I am able to stay enrolled. The free room and board cuts a nice chunk off of my bill and at this point everything helps. So I am really grateful for that perk!

So, if you've ever wondered "What's it like to be an RA?", here it is. I love my job and I am super grateful to have been awarded this position!