RA Class Week 5

Conflict confrontation is thankfully a situation that I have not had to deal with thus far. So far in my adventures of being a learning community resident assistant, I have not had to directly confront a conflict or interfere with an escalating situation. I am thankful for this fact and feel lucky, believing it to be a good thing that I have not come across serious situations like that yet. Hopefully, I will never have to confront a conflict because hopefully there won’t be any within my floor or within my residence hall. If I ever do need to confront a conflict, I must be prepared and knowledgeable, a fact that makes me nervous and worrisome about confronting such problems.

Confronting conflicts is something that worries me for a variety of different reasons. Because this is my first year as a resident assistant, I am new and unexperienced. I feel as though I am always asking returning resident assistants for help and advice, which is a good thing because I am seeking to know more and ensure that I am following procedures correctly, but also a bad thing because I should already know the correct ways to handle situations and do not wish to bother or annoy any of the resident assistants on staff. For this reason, confronting conflicts worries me as I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, forgetting to do something, or messing up in some fashion. I do not want to burden a returner if I ever do need to confront a problem, but I most likely will feel the need to ask for help and reinforcement anyways.

Another reason I am nervous about confronting conflicts is because I am a passive and small person, generally shy and quiet around others. While I can speak up and take charge, it can be difficult for me at times, especially around those of similar ages as me. I often feel too soft-spoken and polite, which can allow others to take advantage of me at times. As a resident assistant, I cannot let that happen and must ensure that I am in the leadership position at all times. I must make sure that I am never taken advantage of and am always the dominant person. This is a challenge for me, but it’s a challenge that I am aware of and ready to face. While I hope that I never have to directly confront a conflict, I am certain that when I do, I will learn and grow from the experience, causing me to change as a person and become more confident, skilled, and knowledgeable for future situations.

Because I want to be an educator in the future and am currently working on an art education Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, confronting conflicts is something I need to have experience with and knowledge about. I will need to know how to correctly address situations and remain cool and collected while retaining my dominant leadership position. As a resident assistant, I need to know how to keep and maintain peace amongst my residents and as a teacher, I will need to know how to guide and control my students.

Confronting conflicts is a frightening situation, but it is one that I will most likely be faced with some day. Prepared for the situation if it ever does arise, I hope that I will correctly follow through the steps and procedures I must take and will address the situation in an appropriate manner. For now, I am gathering all the information I can and receiving any help that anyone is willing to give. For now I am trying to be the most effective learning community resident assistant that I can be.

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RA Class Week 4

The image of the Resident Assistant is a complicated one. Not only are resident assistants supposed to get to know their residents, learning about them and becoming close friends with them, but they are also expected to act as resources, giving information, consoling, and helping in any way they can. They are also burdened with the responsibility of enforcing rules and ensuring fairness and equality. Although some of these expectations and responsibilities may seem to contradict each other, all must be combined to create the ideal resident assistant.

Overviewing how resident assistants are viewed, not only in class, but also in staff meetings and in Student Staff Council, the topic appears to be an important subject. Each resident tends to view their resident assistant differently, making this an even more complicated subject. Some residents view their resident assistant as a best friend there to provide help and entertainment at any moment of the day or night, some a rule enforcer meant to avoid at all costs, and others a ghost who’s never seen or heard from. It is important for a resident assistant to know how he or she is viewed and to try to influence that image to become how he or she would like to be known as. This may be a difficult challenge, however, because residents can be hard to communicate with and it may be difficult to find how they feel about their resident assistant.

I feel like most of my residents are aware that I take charge of my floor and enforce rules, but also offer myself as a resource and a friendly face. Because I often leave my door open, I tend to wave and greet residents who pass by and will even have short conversations that stop and enter for a moment. I also try to help my residents in any way I can, giving them addresses, useful information, and even closing schedules for places on campus. I feel like my residents know they can turn to me, but understand that I will get on to them when they are not following the rules correctly. I also believe that my residents know that I am watching out for them and trying to make their first year at Texas State the most enjoyable experience that I can make for them.

While I believe this is how I am viewed, it may not be true, and there are times when I feel I may be deceived. It troubles me to think that resident assistants may be viewed in a negative way, including myself. Thoughts such as these occur at times when I hear people talking about resident assistants or when I view notes written about them, such as one left outside my door on the bulletin board. Because I live next to the elevators, I post notes and advertisements on the bulletin board in front of the elevators, next to my door. On that board at the moment is a poster that asks, “Want to be an RA?” and lists the times and places for Open Houses at the residence halls. Unfortunately, someone wrote profanity under the question, responding “F— no!,” and although I have covered the statement up numerous times, it continuously becomes uncovered and is often pulled off the board and thrown on the floor. There are also shoe prints on the poster, showing great disrespect towards the event and the title of the resident assistant. This concerns me and I hope that my residents do not view me in that negative way.

Resident assistants are given a lot of responsibilities and are expected to become a variety of different faces including friend, enforcer, and resource, and I hope that I effectively combine these jobs into my personality and persona. I hope that my residents view me in a positive manner and I hope that I am the best resident assistant that I can be for them because I am trying my best and doing all that I can do.

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RA Class Week 3

This week in class, the importance of being flexible and able to change was emphasized as we were asked to cooperate and adjust to changes within the class itself and within our jobs. Being flexible is a valuable skill as it allows one to function in a variety of situations without complications. Flexibility enables one to interact and adjust to situations in order to best meet requirements and fulfill needs. This skill was clearly demonstrated in class when issues about the volunteer experience were brought up. Evaluating the situation and adjusting to the individual needs of the students and the class as the whole my instructor adjusted the assignment in order to enhance the class and improve the experience of the students. This trait is not only respectable, but also highly appreciated. I thank him for possessing this trait, and am glad to have others around me who bear this skill.

In our jobs, we must learn to have this skill, as well. By evaluating our halls, our floors, and our residents, we can better learn what they need and desire and find ways to best suit these expectations. By constantly observing and adjusting, a resident assistant will bestow the best environment they can upon their residents and allow them to flourish in ways that best allow them to. This is important as each hall, each floor, and each resident has unique differences and a variety of individualities that need to be addressed in order to best care for them. As in most cases, there cannot be a “blanket” procedure, meant to encompass all and take care of everything.

In order to understand the importance of this skill even more, we were challenged within groups to imagine the best possible “utopian” floor that would best allow residents to thrive within their new-found college lives. This challenged us to really evaluate and consider what is best for residents in every detail. While it may not be possible to create a perfect floor, this enabled us to consider each resident and to consider the unique differences that need to be considered, such as handicapped and gender unspecific. This project allowed us to be flexible in our decisions of the amount of residents to house, resident assistants to provide, and even elevators to construct. Ultimately, this project enabled us to completely change our floors to best suit not only our residents’ needs, but also our own needs, giving us the power to move the walls, merge the rooms, and enlarge the lobbies. While this may not be possible in real life, it sparked thoughts that challenge community on our floor and inspire methods to best nourish it.

While I feel that I am a flexible person, I feel that I am easy to compromise and negotiate with. A trait I aspire and also despise at times, I believe that I am an easy-going person who is always searching for ways to make everyone happy and to create the best environment and situation for each and every person. Sometimes, I forget about myself, a fact that I need to improve on, as I can be taken advantage of at times. Overall, though, I feel that I am on the correct path in achieving the right balance of flexibility and rigidity. I admire and respect people who have the skill of flexibility and hope that my residents see me as one who possesses this trait, for flexibility is a vital component in creating a close-knit community of residents that see you, not only as a firm ruler, but also as a fair friend and one who is always looking out for their best interests.

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RA Class Week 2

One of the responsibilities associated with being a residential assistant that I find somewhat challenging is the expectation and need to find out about one’s residents and relate with them, or at least help them with their individual and unique challenges. Every person has unique characteristics, features, and even thoughts that make them who they are, and some require more attention than others. Disabilities, handicaps, and a lack of privileges include traits that require excess help and assistance and are vital characteristics that an assistant should be aware of.

Talking over this subject in class, we were challenged to examine these traits and glance through the eyes of another. Since most in our class are not under-privileged or handicapped, it is more difficult for us to imagine life as a person who is, yet we are still expected to be able to do so, and not only that, but also to act on this realization. Although I feel that I am an incredibly empathic person and am easily able to understand others and know how they are feeling or thinking, I, too, have difficulties at times really taking myself out of my personal context and looking through the perspective of another.

It helps that I am only a sophomore who just recently turned nineteen years old because it makes me just a little bit more similar to most of the residents on my floor. A majority of them are nineteen-year-old freshmen, just out of college and ready to experience and live their new college lives. Although I’ve already experienced a year in college, I am still pretty young and still adjusting to this newfound freedom and can more easily relate to what they’re experiencing, thinking, and feeling.

I am also the resident assistant, though, which can make some residents feel awkward to talk to or relate with. I’ve noticed the difference already. I am living on the same floor of the same residence hall as I did last year, only now I’m the one in charge, and suddenly…I’m not invited to movie nights anymore and people are more nervous about inviting me into their rooms. I can understand that it’s not always fun to “hang with a cop,” but this only makes the goal of getting to personally know the individualities of my residents even more difficult.

It still interests and intrigues me to think that although all of my residents are in the same place doing the same thing, they have all come from different starting points, different backgrounds, different life stories. There are some that have followed a smooth, simple path, while others have trudged across a vigorous obstacle course in order to get here. It amazes me to think that there are some who may have overcome incredible challenges or have made profound choices in their lives.

As of now, I am not aware of any major disability or tragedy that any of my residents have lived through or are currently experiencing. Speaking with my residents each time they pass by my open door or I catch them in the elevator, I continue to get to know them and to swap life stories as the year progresses. I have made it my goal to know each resident on my floor and to at least be “Facebook Friend” status with each one by the time they move out. I want to be a friendly peer they can turn to and I want to understand their differences and help them in any way that I can. I simply want to know my residents and respect who they are as unique individuals.

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Week 1: Accepting the Challenge

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Becoming a resident assistant is a tremendous responsibility tied with many expectations and requirements but also with rewards and benefits. The job is not for everyone as it requires responsibility, time-management, and commitment, but for those who can handle it, they will better be prepared for the work force and will have better-honed skills and talents for when they apply for jobs. Not only will they look more prepared on their resumes, they will actually be more prepared.

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