Many students in college may turn to the Resident Assistant position as one that provides them with free housing, a paycheck, and leadership experience to add to their resume, but for others it is much different. For some the resident assistant position changes their lives. The position provides knowledge, leadership, and the opportunity to learn about oneself. Without the resident assistant position, I would not be able to describe myself as the student I am today. This position has allowed me to learn so much about my university, my peers, and most importantly myself. Without this position, college would have never been the same.

It provided me with 100+ new friends:

When hired as a resident assistant you automatically gain a very large friend group who understand and relate to exactly how you are feeling at almost any point in time. When you are excited for a program, you know your RA friends are too. When you are stressed because of all of the homework you have to do while balancing meetings and your resident’s concerns, your RA friends can relate. Your fellow RAs become your closest friends because they truly care about you and your well being along with understand why you do what you do. No matter what team they are on, they will always be someone who understands you. For my fellow RAs I am extremely grateful.

You truly learn what it means to be a leader:

Once you’re put in this position you truly learn what it means to be a leader. Your residents look up to you in a way that motivates you to be the best that you can be. Plus, when you’re living life in the fishbowl it’s kind of hard to ever want to mess up. Working as an RA offers you many leadership positions that you may not get with another position. You are able to take the reigns on a program or to help other students learn about themselves. The position allows you to shine in the areas in which you perform best, allowing you to learn what type of leader you are and where your strengths lie.

It teaches you valuable skills:

Have you ever balanced 5 classes, 3 meetings, one desk shift, 2 papers due at midnight, and on night of on-call all in one day? Well once you’ve been an RA you will definitely learn the value of effective time management. How about professionalism? Besides sitting in class and respecting our teachers, we also learn to work alongside professional staff members on our campus who provide us with resources that allow us to do our job well. The skills you learn as an RA translate into different facets of many different careers in which you will look for after graduation. With these skills we graduate college much more prepared for the real, career filled world.

You meet the most amazing mentors:

Now this might be me just bragging about my supervisors at my university, but most would say that an RA’s mentors are the best. They care about you in many different areas ranging from your job, your mental health, to your academic success. You gain and maintain a relationship with your supervisors that allow you to utilize them for almost any issue. We’re thankful for the one-on-ones with the laughs, tears, and academic motivation. You mentors are who truly carry us through our academic career. Without your love and support we would have not been able to achieve anywhere as near as much as we did.

It makes your college experience much more enjoyable:

Sure, there were some nights that I wish I could have gone out with my friends, but couldn’t because I was on-call. In the end, I would pick staying in the building with my on-call partner doing homework over partying any night. Staff meetings? Probably one the biggest highlights of my week. Then there are the programs that we get to put on. As an RA there is never a day that goes by where you are bored. There is always an event that you can go to and probably get some free food or t-shirts. The best part of all is the residents. The interactions with them allow you to remember why you dedicate so much time to the position. It makes you smile when you know you are to help someone be the best person that they can be just by simply being there for them. Without them, our job wouldn’t exist.

I have been blessed with three different and amazing group of residents in the three years that I have been an RA. All of them have taught me so much and have made my time in college one for the books. We have shared countless laughs, late night talks, hallway bonding nights, and heart to hearts. Without you guys, our job would not exist. You have no idea how much you do for us. You bring so much joy to our lives and we are so proud of everything that you do. We're basically your college parent and we will always love and protect you. Remember, I am always here for you and will always be your RA.

Most importantly, it provides you with a family:

Here is where we thank the teammates, the staff members, and most importantly the residents. We meet so many people during our time as an RA that allow us to get the most out of our college experience. The nights spent in the hallway with the residents are some of the most fun nights of the year. The nights on call with the long incidents are where we build lasting relationships with our teammates. The RA job provides a support system that is what any college student misses the most when they are away from their home. Without the RA family I would have been lost.

Overall, the time spent as a resident assistant is one that many would never trade for anything else. With this position students are able to find themselves while being able to help others. The opportunities are endless and the experiences are life changing. This position has allowed many students to grow and be the best students that they can be. It changes lives for the better and is one that I will forever be grateful for. The RA job has allowed me to become a strong, independent, and confident leader who will forever be grateful for the housing department. Without this job I would have been lost. Thank you for all that you've done for myself and my fellow staff members!