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13 Moments Every Resident Assistant Has

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at OR State chapter.

Whether you’re a Resident Assistant (RA) or someone who is knowledgeable about the dorm experience, these moments might be all too familiar to you. From things that go bump in the night to staff bonding, these are thirteen moments every RA has. 

1. Making it through training week(s)

 

Don’t get me wrong, there are the fun parts… but most of it is just a bunch of Res Life staff walking around with an IV of coffee.

 

2. When you aren’t done with your door decs and bulletin board but move-in day is tomorrow

 

I don’t think I’ve ever crafted so hard.

 

3. When you hear people complimenting those last-minute door decs and bulletin boards

 

Oh, stop it. You’re making me blush!

 

4.  Watching residents make the mistakes you already warned them about… like dormcest.

 

I guess some people prefer the “learn by experience” method…

 

5. Choosing duty for Halloween weekend… and just about every other major weekend.

 

That will be the quietest you’ve ever heard a group of student staff.

 

6. When your residents are loud right after you’ve managed to fall asleep

 

There is nothing like slammed doors at 2am to make you cranky.

 

7. When people come to your events

 

ermahgerd.

 

8. Seeing a sock on a door knob while on rounds

 

heh heh heh. We know what you’re doing!

 

9. When you hear the sex noises while on rounds

 

We’re glad you’re having fun, but the rest of the hall doesn’t want to be apart of it.

 

10. Waking up to the duty phone

 

… or just hearing the duty phone ring at all.

 

11. Going out with your staff

 

There’s nothing like bonding time away from the dorms. #squadgoals

 

12. When you realize just how much free pizza you’ve consumed over the course of the year

 

We should be sponsored by Domino’s, that’s how much pizza we’ve consumed.

 

13. Seeing residents grow over the school year

 

It’s so rewarding to watch residents, especially Freshmen, learn and grow throughout the year. Just caterpillars on move-in day, they have transformed into (sometimes) beautiful butterflies and you couldn’t be more proud.

 

Being a Resident Assistant has it’s ups and downs, but it is such a rewarding experience. Comment below any other common moments you may have had! 

 
Katherine Borchers is a Junior at Oregon State University and is majoring in Digital Communication Arts. She is involved on campus with Res Life and So Worth Loving at Oregon State. You can find her procrastinating real life responsibilities, drinking coffee, and procrastinating some more. When she procrastinates, she loves to sing loudly (not well, either), read books, and do artsy-fartsy stuff.