What to Expect as a Resident Assistant

Resident assistants. So you’ve seen them around campus and you admire how much they help out their fellow students. You’ve seen how much everybody loves them and what a positive impact they have on your university. Are you thinking of becoming a resident assistant yourself? As a new RA, I honestly expected it to be a lot less challenging than it has already proven to be but rather than explaining every last detail, I can tell you that there are some major dos and don’ts for the job:

• Do come up with some great ideas for your residents. Do you want to plan a fun event or activity? The power is in your hands!
• Don’t dominate everything. It is important to work with your co-RAs when planning events or deciding on new residence hall policies.
• Do get excited! Being an RA is not only a rewarding experience but it is also a great way to get to know a lot of people.
• Don’t expect it to be easy. RAs have to go through a lot of training and come back to campus earlier than most students.
• Do put your residents first. They will be coming to you with some pretty intense problems and you should be willing to help them out whenever they need it.
• Don’t abuse your schoolwork. Although your job is a super important duty, learn to balance your time in such a way that your academic performance will not suffer.
• Do be sure to alert your residents if things are getting out of hand. Nobody wants a messy kitchen or bathroom and chances are that your residents will blame you for not calling a hall meeting.
• Don’t be bossy. Your residents won't feel comfortable coming to you for advice if they’re afraid that you will snap at them.

Most importantly, you should never get involved in something simply for the popularity aspect. If being an RA sounds like something you would be really dedicated to, go for it! It may be a lot of work but if you enjoy helping people, you will probably have a lot of fun being a resident assistant at your university!

Melissa Garrett is a sophomore at Chatham University majoring in creative writing with minors in music and business. She works as a resident assistant and is currently in the process of self-publishing several of her books. She also serves as the president of Chatham’s LGBT organization and enjoys political activism. Melissa’s ultimate goal is to become a college professor herself.