So, being a Resident Assistant while in college may not sound so glamorous to some (and it definitely has its downsides), but there are some pretty sweet benefits to the job. Yeah, it sucks to wake up at three in the morning to the sound of the duty phone ringing its shrill ringtone, but that moment when you connect with a resident and impact their lives forever is definitely worth that early morning phone call. So, why should you be an RA?
1. Being an RA means you get to make lots of friends.
Yes, you will have access to lots of people that you will have the opportunity to get to know and be friends with! You get to connect with so many people this way!
2. You get to let out your creative side!
Having to make those bulletin boards and door decorations means you have a chance to get crafty! It doesn’t have to be super complicated, but something simple and clever can mean so much and make you feel so good while you’re working on it!
3. Some of your closest friends will be on your staff.
You are basically learning how to build community with the help of your very own community: the staff. You live and work and learn with these people and you will grow close and open up to them. One of the few people you will ever meet that understands everything you’re going through is someone going through the exact same thing as you.
4. You have the chance to make an epic community!
You have the power to make traditions and foster school pride among your residents and that experience will only enhance your personal growth and your personal life while at the same time enhancing your residents in the same way.
5. Free or discounted housing.
This isn’t really my favorite reason. Being an RA is about so much more than this, but, nevertheless, it is a perk.
6. You have the chance to make a dorm room into a residence hall, a true second home.
The term “dorm room” is kind of negative. It has this cold feel to it that no RA wants their residents to feel. When you’re an RA, you have the power to make a resident feel like they are coming home every time they pull up to campus to move in and start a new semester.
7. Being an RA is basically hands-on diversity training.
When you have thirty to sixty residents, you are going to meet a lot of people from cultures you have never even heard of, or people that are part of the LGBT community, or people from basically all walks of life. When you are tasked with making this diverse group of people feel at home and safe, you will learn so much about the world outside of your own culture — and you can spread acceptance wherever you go.
8. You have the chance to change a life.
Sometimes people go through things you will never even have a clue about and you may never even know that they are struggling, but by being in a position that tasks you with knocking on doors and encouraging and building community, one word or one hug could be all that struggling resident needs to see the light and keep moving forward.
9. School pride is almost a given!
When you’re an RA, you have to get the residents pumped about their school and their colors. That gives you the best excuse in the world to be silly and scream chants and cheers and show your school pride. You can come up with all sorts of crazy ideas to really get your residents excited about their home and their university.
10. You get to belong somewhere.
Sometimes the best RAs are the kids that never really had a friend group in high school. They weren’t loners, but they mostly avoided labels throughout their life. Oftentimes, the ones that have felt the most out of place find their place in helping others and being a mentor. Sometimes, the best RAs are the band kids or the dance kids or the theater kids, because they know how great a community is and they just want to share it with others. Belonging is very important, and should never be underestimated.
