A knock on the door is followed by the sound of shushing, the music gets lower, all you hear is, “Shut up. It’s the RAs.” The time is now 12:36 am on a Friday. The last thing I want to do is confront a situation and later have to write a communication report.
A communication report is a detailed account of the situation that an RA encounters. You may hear, “I’m going to have to document the situation or I have to document you.” Those words mean that your behavior/ actions are being written in report.
There is one more round that has to be done at 2 a.m. Rounds on the weekend are of the entire west side of campus. The report must be submitted by 9 a.m. If you have class at 8:15 a.m. this means you need at least five hours of sleep to function. All of the houses, west and CAC (Cabrini Apartment Complex) needs to be done .
Being an RA isn’t always a person’s only commitment. The resident assistants are still students, some have part time jobs or are juggling an internship. For me, taking 17.5 credits, having a part time job, being an editor for Loquitur media and having an internship can be a bit overwhelming at times.
I must say that becoming an RA is the most challenging, rewarding, inspiring thing I’ve done by far. Connecting with my residents on a personal level and not just as an authoritative figure is what matters most to me.
Last year I was a sophomore RA who was thrown into Xavier Hall with over twenty-five freshman to look after. The most nerve racking thing for me would probably be move in day for the freshman at the end of August. The day that your 2-week training has been leading up to is finally here. It’s sink or swim, time to take the training wheels off and go.
Summer clothes, wide eyed, ready for college, they arrive. They bring their clothes, appliances, their furniture, but most of all, their uncertainty. How do you help them figure out college when you yourself still have trouble with the little things?
You may think that we are trolls or ogres out to stop your fun and get you in trouble. But for me, it’s the complete opposite. I would rather have fun with my residents, get to know them, help them and also learn from them.
In a small environment like a house it makes it easier for you to connect with people.
To all my fellow RA’s this is a nod to the work that we do and an insight into why I do what I do .
