The Fall 2013 semester is already on everyone’s mind – things like what goals you want to achieve, what new clubs or activities you want to join, and the riveting question of where you’re going to live are all mysteries just waiting to be uncovered. You want to start off the semester strong, with a new challenge at hand, right? Well, why not try being a resident assistant? You’ll get to meet new friends, be involved in something totally new, and of course your room and board will be paid in full. Sounds like a dream come true!
Let’s take a step back. Being an RA is a lot of hard work, and you really have to commit to it in order to do a good job. I recently started the application process and am currently waiting to hear back if I made it to the next step in the interviews (crossing my fingers!) but I’ve already learned so much. Yes, you won’t have to worry about any housing situations, but you should realize that there is a lot more to the job. It’s important to have certain qualities that will land you the position, and keep you motivated to be a role model for others.
Just from talking to some of my friends who are resident assistants, I’ve learned that this position can be the most rewarding experience to take on campus. It’s a big decision to make, but if you feel that you have the courage to apply, then definitely try it out. Here’s a list of some of the qualities you can build up to be an amazing resident assistant and someone others can always look up to and count on.
- Present yourself well. Whether you’re still going through the interview process, or you’re already hired, it’s so important to represent yourself and your school well. You never know when you’re going to run into your future boss (a resident director) outside of the confines of the dorm. That means: be smart over the weekends and avoid doing anything that could be taken the wrong way or could ruin your reputation as a respectable student.
- Make time for the job. A resident assistant has to be there for students at any point in time. If a resident calls you at 3am, you better be up and ready to see what’s going on. Students have to be able to reach you whenever something goes wrong, or even when they just want to drop in and say hi! You’ll build a better relationship with residents if you’re around and they can come and talk to you whenever. Also, keeping on top of schoolwork is a must, so practice managing your time well. So, be sure that you can fit it into your schedule when you consider applying.
- Always act with others in mind. If your passion is helping others out, this is the job for you. Resident assistants are the kind of people who will always help others through a tough time in their life, or even smaller problems, like avoiding falling asleep in class.
- Floor communities = happy residents. Building a strong relationship with the students on your floor helps them feel more connected within the school and lets them know that they always have someone to turn to. Also, doing fun activities with big groups of your residents will allow them to all build friendships, resulting in happy people that are less likely to be getting into trouble (hooray for you!) or get into arguments with other floor-mates.
- Just be yourself! As long as you keep being your honest, hardworking, fun self then you’ll be a great person to look up to as a leader on campus. If you’re excited and motivated to put in the time and effort that it takes, there’s no doubt that you can help residents through anything and make their experience on campus so much better. Don’t be frustrated if you didn’t get chosen, you can always re-apply and hope for the best! Just remember – it’s all about what you make of the situation!
Photo Credits:
http://www.amazon.com/hugged-Resident-assistant-T-Shirt-CafePress/dp/B007M4LMPE
http://uthinkido.com/what-people-think-i-do/gallery/people/assistant?page=5