This year in Kennedy, housing is allowing sophomores to live on the second and the third floors. With each RA comes a group of lucky sophomores to live with them in the other rooms! I have been lucky enough to live with one of my friends, who is also an RA, on the second floor, and while there have been some challenges, I absolutely love my living situation.
Living with an RA might seem like the worst idea ever. People have said, there must be early nights, no parties or basically any fun, right? Actually, it’s been the exact opposite. Living with my RA has meant that we aren’t going to let people come in and trash our place when we have parties. Instead, we have nice dinners with our friends and have good, genuine fun without the alcohol. While adding alcohol at parties can bring a new level of fun to the night, I’ve encountered more fun through dance parties, game nights, and lots of genuine laughter than I ever did at parties where people were so drunk they couldn’t find their way home.
Living with my RA has also brought a sense of responsibility to each person in our apartment, which has meant our apartment is clean, or at least tidy. Our apartment is never trashed when other people come over and everyone does their part to keep our shared space looking it’s best. (I’m particularly proud of our living room décor.)
Finally, I love living with my RA because she is intentional about building relationships with each of us and really encourages us to all build deep relationships with each other. Whether it’s late night conversations or just debriefing our days together, we are constantly building community together and investing in each other’s lives. I love knowing what’s going on with everyone and I love how supportive everyone is when I have a problem I need to talk through.
I know living with an RA might seem terrible because they are in a position of authority. But if you have the option to live with one who is also your friend, I would highly recommend it. Plus, there’s one less person living in your apartment and more space for you!