I’ve always wanted to be a Resident Assistant during my college career. I applied to be an RA for my junior year, and I was waitlisted, meaning that I was on a RA waiting list in case other RAs declined the position or no longer was able to work. As I began my junior year, I lost hope that I’ll get off the waitlist and focused on reapplying to become an RA for my senior year instead.
While home during winter break, just a few days before Christmas, I got a call from the University of Connecticut’s Residential Life staff. I picked up, curious on what they’re calling about. A few seconds in, they announced that I was offered a RA position for one of the UConn dorms for the Spring 2025 semester. I was so ecstatic that I cheered and ran out of my room to tell my parents.
All colleges/universities function differently. As an RA at UConn, I get free housing, a stipend, and a single room! These perks are definitely one of the best parts of being an RA, however, I also love the skills I have learned to be a leader and mentor, as well as bonding with my residence life staff.
Such as going on a coffee run after a community service day:
Mid-year training
I moved in a few days earlier than other returning RAs for Spring training, as I was new. Getting my stuff from one side of campus to another, which doesn’t have an elevator, was one of the most tiring move-in processes I’ve ever experienced. To make it even more nerve-wracking, I was placed in a residence hall I’ve never once visited. It was difficult to know where everything was located at first, but now I feel comfortable here!
Training took a week, and I’ve learned a lot of information on what it means to be an RA. I met the staff I’d be working with from now on, and they’re all amazing people. Our residence hall staff is the largest on campus, with over 40 RAs living here. The RAs and Hall Directors I’ve come to know definitely make our residence hall better!
Being “on duty” sounds more daunting than it is, but I find it relaxing as I sit in an office and do homework, study, or watch movies! However, doing rounds of your assigned area is often tiring, especially the 2 AM ones on weekends. Add to the fact that my residence hall does not have elevators, it’s even more wearisome to do rounds.
board making
I had three boards on my floor, each of them big enough to put up anything I wanted! One board next to my room was dedicated to me as an RA, with some information and fun pictures to show my residents my interests! The next board across my room was dedicated to all of my residents, with each of their names on “sweethearts.” Dare I say my most creative moment? Absolutely. The last board was dedicated to monthly themes, i.e., for February, my board was dedicated to Black History Month.
Check out my previous article to see all of the boards I have made this Spring semester!
floor events
This Spring, I had a total of four floor events/meetings:
- My first floor event was a huge collaboration with other RAs — a welcome back meeting from winter break in which all of our residents got cookies and hot cocoa! Everyone was mingling with music in the background, and it was a great time!
- For Valentine’s Day, I gave each of my residents goodie bags full of candy to express my care and gratitude for them all!
- During the height of March Madness, I held a “cookies and beauty” event with cookies from Insomnia Cookies, UConn’s go-to cookie store, and a variety of mini beauty products I had, like face masks, lip scrubs, micellar water, etc. If you couldn’t tell by now, my love language is gift giving.
- My closing meeting happened recently, where another RA and I held our meeting together to explain to our residents important information about moving out of the residence halls. Of course, there were cookies involved.
Senior year RA update!
Fortunately, I’ll continue to be an RA in the same building and floor that I’m on now! Usually, they move around the RAs to different floors, but I was lucky to stay in the same place for my last year of college — shoutout to my hall director for making this happen!
Since I wasn’t an RA for the Fall 2024 semester, I have to go back to UConn earlier for RA training in August. I’ll be with new RAs for a day, and be with the other returning RAs after! I’m excited to meet my new batch of residents and make the most of my last year of college!
My time as an RA has been nothing but a fun and fulfilling experience during my college career. I’ve learned so much thanks to training and the resources/help I receive from my coworkers and hall directors. The Residential Life community here is amazing and inclusive; there was even a banquet for RAs with awards. I may be biased, but I definitely think that my residence hall is the best on the entire campus — and I’ve previously lived in three other dormitories.
Until the Fall semester!