Being a Resident Assistant is not a job for everyone, but if you have ever been a RA you'll know it when...
1. When you are excited about arts and crafts...
Then you have to make 50 of the exact same thing -- you don't like crafting anymore. The first four of any creation can be fun. Even if you decide to mix things up, after about the tenth one you have no new ideas left, and you no longer like being creative.
2. When your summer break is cut short by two weeks...
Being an RA is an important job at any university. RAs are the people residents can turn to in times of need, the people that are often first to help with an incident, the people that are role models for the rest of the students. So RA training is both crucial and helpful, this doesn't mean you enjoy arriving on campus two weeks before classes start.
3. When your sleep schedule is thrown off because of duty shifts...
You are on call at least one day a week and often are woken up at crude times like 3 am and have to stay up late doing rounds or writing reports. Now you will spend the rest of the week trying to make up for those few hours missed all because someone locked themselves out of their room.
4. When Pinterest is your best friend...
When you are clueless as to what your next bulletin boards or door decs are going to be you turn to Pinterest. Then you have to decide which idea is best and won't take you forever.
5. When you stay up to 3 am finishing an incident report...
No one likes writing up an incident report, especially immediately after it just finished up, but everyone knows you will forget everything that was said and done the next morning if it is ignored. So you stay up for another hour trying to write every detail while your brain is trying to keep up. And don't forget the expert third person writing skills you must show off in the report.
6. When you cringe at the sound of the duty phone...
You're at a staff meeting and the dreaded duty phone starts ringing. Everyone in the room heart skips a beat and they turn to look at the poor soul in charge of the duty phone.
7. When no one comes to the program you have planned...
Usually, you can count on fellow RAs or at least one resident to attend the program you slaved over. But the fear is always there that no one will come.
8. When your Snapchats consist of your many creations...
You have to show everyone how much effort and time you are putting into each door dec. It is also very satisfying to document and share the adorable animal you just made.
9. When you watch Dorm Life during training...
Everyone can relate to the dramatized events that are portrayed through Dorm Life on YouTube. It is a great way to laugh off the real stresses of being a RA.
10. When you know what to do in any situation...
Fire drill, active shooter, bomb threat, tornado, roommate disagreement, fight, you name it, you know how to respond. Even if the first thing you do is call your supervisor to find out what you do.
