Knock. Knock. Knock.
It’s 10:30 pm on a Friday night, and you and your roommate are hosting a pregame in your room. You quickly glance around and notice that everyone you invited is there, and a feeling of dread fills your stomach. You slowly move toward the door and look through the peephole, and the last person you wanted to see is standing on the other side, looking tired and annoyed – your RA.
Now what?
The question of what to do when you’re about to be written up crosses the mind of every BC student, and Her Campus BC has come up with a few do’s and don’ts to make this less-than-fun process a little bit more manageable.
DO: Open the door as soon as possible. You probably learned on day one that the walls in the dorms are paper thin, so whispering “Oh no, it’s the RA” and rushing around to clean up will just make things worse, so be upfront and open the door ASAP.
DON’T: Hide. It may be tempting to duck under a friend’s bed or, if you live in a suite, run to hide in the shower, but remember, the RAs have to check the entire room. If you get caught hiding, you could get hit with a “failure to comply,” along with the noise violation and whatever else you may be charged with, which could up your punishment from a warning to disciplinary probation.
DO: Have your ID ready, and hand it over when asked. Making a big ploy to look for it won’t help you – either way you’re getting written up.
DON’T: Ignore a warning. If the RA is just coming by to tell you to quiet down, make sure you listen. Don’t treat it as getting away with something and after a couple of laughs and high fives, immediately turn up the music. Your RA is being AWESOME by warning you instead of writing you up on the spot – respect that.
DO: Pay close attention to what the RA says and what everyone else is doing while the RA is in the room. You need to be able to clearly relay what happened if and when you have a meeting with your Resident Director. If your story and the report don’t match, it could mean more trouble for you. At the same time, if the report says something that’s incorrect, stand up for yourself; you may get your “sentence” reduced.
DON’T: Be rude. This is the absolute worst thing you can do. Remember, the majority of RAs don’t enjoy writing students up, but it’s an unfortunate part of their job. They don’t WANT you to be in trouble, but if you give them an attitude or refuse to hand over your ID or say “this is SO dumb,” you only end up hurting yourself and possibly your other friends. Not only will you get hit with a failure to comply, but you’ll be also be on bad terms with at least one RA in your building. If you must, hold your tongue until after the RA leaves, and then rant as much as you want to your friends. It’s always better to be silent than sassy.
Hopefully these tips will ease the intense anxiety that crashes over you when you hear that unwelcome knock late at night. Remember: your RAs are there to help you, not hurt you, so treat them with respect and kindness, no matter the situation.
Photo Sources:
http://www.priscasvoice.com/2011/01/reason-for-god-chapt-4-church-is.html