This year, I am an exhausted third-year RA. When I say "this isn't my first rodeo", I genuinely mean I have seen it all. While generally situations remain the same (you will always have transports, noise complaints and roommate conflicts), there is one thing that always changes--your residents. I have had quite the variety of residents over these last three years. I've had juniors and seniors, first-year students, and now I'm lucky enough to have a mix of everything.

To my first-year students — first off, I would like to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I'm not around all that much. I wish our interactions weren't limited to passing by and asking how each other's day is going, but I promise I'm working on it. Work-life balance is really hard, especially when you live in your job. I am genuinely interested in how your day is going though, more so than it just being a formality!

I'm sorry if you also think my programming is lame. It's something I have to do, but also, I want to actually connect with all of you, and get you all interacting with one another. I don't want you all to only know your four walls throughout this year. I'm ready to help you all make Curry your home.

To my sophomore and junior students—thank you. Thank you for saying hi to me whenever you get the chance and actually striking up conversations with me. Thank you for reminding me why I love being an RA, because there are days when I sometimes forget. Thank you for adding me to your crying tally list, even though I'm not a nursing major (but I'm sorry that the tallies even exist!). Nobody said that your path would be easy, but I hope you know that I'm here for you all every step of the way, and I genuinely mean it.

To all of the residents who I have built a bond with--thank you for understanding that sometimes I have to do my job. It is never a personal vendetta and I would never be "out to get you." That should never be the way to be an RA and I certainly don't anticipate starting now. Policy enforcement is my least favorite aspect of being an RA, but unfortunately, it is a part of it. I wholeheartedly appreciate you all understanding that if that day came around, it wouldn't be personal; it's just a part of my job description. I will never hold your actions against you and think of you differently, so I sincerely hope that you feel the same.

Lastly, I want to make a promise to you all, one that I hope I will hold. I promise to be the best RA I can be, the best "pod mom" I can be, and the best friend to you all that I can be. I promise to make the time to listen to the latest drama in your life, or how yesterday's chemistry exam went, or anything in between. I know that I'm busy, and sometimes you may not see me, but I'm around, and that's not changing any time soon.