When the new friends I made this summer pressed me on why I had to return to campus two weeks before everyone else, I told them it was because I was going to be an RA. I was incredibly surprised to find out how little people knew about RA's and what we do. In fact, most of my friends had no clue what an RA was. If you're like my friends and have no clue what I am talking about don't worry, I will explain.

RA stands for Resident Assistant. They live in the dorms (or residence halls) and basically they are there to make sure the building doesn't blow up and explode into a million different pieces. RA's handle noise complaints, roommate conflicts, banned substances being in places they definitely shouldn't be, random pets running around, exotic dancers, intoxicated yelling, sober crying, and much more. I'm sure you're asking yourself, are RA's Superheroes? Yes. Yes, we are. If you've lived in a residence hall or dorm then I can guarantee your RA or an RA in your building, has probably saved someone's life. Often, we find ourselves doing something we never planned on doing, and when that happens in a residence hall at 3 a.m, RA's are there.

I can't speak for all the other RA's but I love being an RA. In fact, this year will be my second year being a Resident Assistant. I'm not going to lie, there are times when I want to shut my door or unplug my phone from the wall. However, despite those times, it is a very rewarding job. If you have an amazing RA, or you know an RA who has done something phenomenal, tell them. Being a Resident Assistant is a taxing job, and hearing encouraging words can make it just a little bit more worth it.