Archive for year: 2011

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.

<- RA Class Week 3 | RA Class Week 5 ->

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.

<- RA Class Week 1 | RA Class Week 3 ->