New Resident Assistant Tip from Kathy Bourcier

When starting on your journey of becoming an RA, the feelings of both excitement and a bit of trepidation may wash over you. Being excited is completely understandable; you are about to begin an experience like no other. Whether you have heard wonderful things about being an RA or the horrible stories, being an RA is an extremely unique experience that you will remember for the rest of your life. Start your year out strong by doing some of these things:

 

1. Start on your wall/door decorations EARLY! During training, it feels like you have all the time in the world to work on your decorations, but don’t procrastinate! The time passes quicker than you think, so make sure not to put it off.

 

2. Spend lots of time with your staff outside of training. This is the key time to bond with your staff before the busy year begins. Be sure to take advantage of this “free” time by talking to your fellow RAs.

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3. Take advantage of training, and PARTICIPATE. Though it is easy to breeze through training, make sure to take advantage of all of the learning opportunities they present you with. You never know when a piece of your training will come in handy!

 

4. Make connections with your residents at the very beginning of the school year. The beginning of the year is when you determine your floor atmosphere through connecting with your residents. First impressions matter! Start the year out strong by explaining and enforcing policies while engaging with your residents.

 

5. Plan out your programs ahead of time. It is easy to lose track of time before your programs come up, but you should it out before hand so that you can purchase materials and create advertisements. As Scar from the Lion King said, “Be Prepared”.

 

6. Take everything in stride, and be the best RA you can be. It is very easy to get upset about a difficult situation with a resident or to take something personally, but remember that this does not reflect upon you. All you can do is try your hardest at your job. Though some situations may test your strength, believe that you can get through it!