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Life As A Resident Assistant The Good AND Bad

It's more than decorating your hall cute and hanging up flyers.

Hope Sparks

Feb 27, 2020

Missouri State University

214

Life As A Resident Assistant The Good AND Bad

Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash

Becoming a resident assistant has become one of the most rewarding and mentally draining things I have ever done.

Acting as a mentor and resource to new residents is something I will never take for granted. I get to have an impact on students experience in college. I have been there to help them with the good and bad of figuring out life a way from home.

Although decorating your hall cute and creating fun events is a huge part of this job, there is so much more to it. Something that people can forget, is this is position isn't just a job with long shifts that you can leave and unwind after a long day.

You live where you work and are expected to be there every night.

As an RA, you never know what to expect. From 3 a.m. calls about a lockout, text messages from a resident that something is wrong while you're in class, or knocks on your door at 12 a.m. because someone needs to talk, this job will always be unexpected.

Every day is different and it's hard to prepare yourself to be there for others mentally and emotionally. You become someone they can trust and go to for advice or a friend they just want to rant to.

One of the biggest things I learned in my first semester as an RA, is the importance of taking care of me. I often put my residents and my job first. There isn't anything wrong with this, but it can easily take and did take a toll on my own mental health.

There needs to be a certain balance when it comes to school, work, and social life. It's is so important to be available for your residents, but you can't do that when you aren't taking care of you.

Knowing your limits and when you need to step back to just take care of you is just as important as the job itself. Setting boundaries with residents is important. Remind them you are a student too and can't be there 24/7 to deal with every small issue.

This job comes with a lot of challenges, but I have learned having a positive outlook has reflected in my hall and community. It is easy to find the bad things, but the amazing relationships you form with the people in your hall and staff make it worth it.

At the end of the day, you get to have an impact on students' lives, make the most of it!

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Life As A Resident Assistant The Good AND Bad

It's more than decorating your hall cute and hanging up flyers.

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The struggles of having an RBF are all too real

1. People asking if you're mad at them.

2. Those people who hand out flyers don't always try to stop you.

3. Creepy guys telling you to smile.

4. "I thought you were a bitch when I first met you."

5. People telling you you'd be "so much prettier if you smiled."

6. Doing your makeup and looking great, which somehow intensifies the bitch face.

7. Regularly explaining "it's just my face."

We all go through certain stages when we have a crush, Tina just explains it better.

That moment that someone you never looked twice at suddenly makes you do a double take out of no where.

But you can't have a crush, that's outrageous. It's all in your head.

Because you don't have a crush, there's no reason to tell anyone about anything. Right?

But then they do something irresistible and you start to lose it.

Now accepting the fact you have a crush, you have to keep it under control.

Then there's the part where you tell your friends who will claim they called it.

They'll be excited and cheer you on. That's until they realize that your crush is all you'll be talking about.

Your obsession has become so bad, that your Facebook stalking is getting out of control.

But your friends will try and help move things along any way they can. That doesn't mean it will be any helpful though.

As time goes on, you start having fantasies about the two of you and it's starting to scare you a little.

You can't focus on anything because all your attention is on them and everything they do.

Anybody who comes near your crush is now an enemy, and you are willing to fight for your crush.

When you see them, you act like an idiot. Trying to hide your feelings may not be as discrete as you think.

Keeping your feelings inside will start to be harder and harder until you can't keep it inside anymore.

Who knows, maybe it will work out? Take a chance.

Everybody hurts sometimes.

May the odds be ever in your favor.

What about those of us who don't do it all in four years?

1. You feel like an elder.

2. You may feel lonely.

3. Senioritis is more real than ever.

4. You may feel a little down sometimes.

5. Fear of missing out won't be as real.

6. You are a college pro.

7. You'll have more free time.

8. You're happy you're still in school.

9. You feel like a guru.

10. You continue to grow.

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