When I went to my first resident assistant (RA) training three years ago, I was terrified out of my mind. I was thrown into a room with 60 other people who were happy and excited to be someone’s big brother or big sister on campus. I remember thinking about how freaked out I was and how the heck I was going to get through the next three years with the people around me. I was very hesitant because I didn't think that I would be good or even great at my job. But then, I got through it all.
This year's summer training was Olympic themed which was perfect because by the time it was over, I knew that these group of RA's were destined for greatness.
Being an RA has many quirks and weird events. But the best thing about it is the 10-day training that we endure. This is where we learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. We talk a lot about the kind of people that we will be surrounding ourselves in and the kind of events that we will have to handle, both challenging and not so challenging.
College can be pretty stressful, but nothing is as stressful as dealing with intense situations without having any experience with it. But luckily, RA training helps with that.
My first year, I was pretty timid. I quietly took notes in the back of the meeting rooms. Writing about every little thing and realized that I was way over my head. I was cautious with the idea of working with a staff of only 16. Everyone was way chipper than I could ever be. I went through training, trying not to cry because I thought I would screw everything up. I thought this job was only based around door decorations and funny bulletin boards.
But there's programs, one on ones, complex programs, conflict mediations, staff meetings, staff bonding, the rehire process, and the recruitment process. There was so much information that I thought my head was going to explode. But by the time class started, I found myself stressing lesser and lesser. There were some mishaps and mistakes that I can say were definitely my fault. But I did it. I got through my first year with so much stride and was super excited for my second year. Which went crazier than planned.
By the second year, my staff definitely doubled which made it a bit harder to become a family. So many ideas and so many personalities brought a lot of animosity. We powered through with plenty of programs and confidence. Once it was closer to May, I knew that my third year of training would be anything but ordinary.
Now it is 2016 and my third/final summer training for Residence Life is over. I never thought that I would be here. A senior, so close to taking on the world in May but still going back to the basics. Being an RA taught me how to be organized and basically how to handle living in a world where you have to take care of 80 residents, 20 staff members and yourself all at once.
In my first year, I was nervous to get close with my staff by any means necessary. But now looking back, I realized that I was missing out on so much. I trust and adore the group of people that I am with. They are wacky, intelligent leaders that I am so proud to be working with. I get teary-eyed just thinking about graduating and leaving them behind.Being an RA is tough. It is definitely not for everybody. But having this training taught me that I would have never been this great in my college years without this amazing staff, my amazing supervisors, and the never ending confidence that came from every single moment.
I am truly blessed to be working with these people. I love them. I love my job. I could not have asked for more.
