By Rachel Caine
Welcome to an exciting new chapter in your college life! Being an RA requires a special kind of person, and I hope you are incredibly proud of yourself for landing this role! I invite you to go in ambitious, ready to take on new challenges and learn. You will learn so much about yourself and the world around you if you really lean into what this job has to offer.
So what’s next? You’ve been accepted, you’ve signed your agreement, and you’ve got RA training on your calendar. There is often a large gap of time between the initial excitement of being hired as an RA, and your responsibilities actually starting. My hope for you is that you grow into your version of leadership, pressing into the skills you already have within you, and accepting the growth that will come while you learn on the job.
I like to think of the RA role like a five-layered cake. It doesn’t matter which flavor of cake is on the bottom, but it does serve as a strong foundation for the rest of the layers. None of the layers need to be perfect, you just do your best to make that next layer, and add it onto what you already have.
In no particular order, the five layers of the RA role are:
- Community Building: Create a safe, memorable, and inclusive home for your residents.
- Resident Resourcefulness: Know what help is available on campus for students.
- Teamwork: Be a good teammate and willing to work well with others.
- Administrative Skills: Be punctual, meet deadlines, and document properly.
- Guiding and Living Out Policy: Be a role model and make policies clear for students.
A good team is built when multiple skills and interests are brought together to create shared goals. If you’re hired to be an RA, you probably possess a strong understanding of at least one of the layers already. Maybe you impressed the interviewers with your immense care for students, maybe you wowed residence life staff with your programming (event) ideas, or maybe your character showed clear integrity for other students to look up to. Whatever brought you into this role, I encourage you to use that to ground you into this job. You will build so many skills on top of it, but that initial strength is what makes you unique to your team.
My best piece of advice to you during this new chapter is this: Given all of the skills you are about to press into, always try to seek and create The Three Cs: Curiosity, Clarity, and Care. The Three Cs can be seen in any layer of this role. It communicates to others that you are being intentional as an RA, including your residents, your fellow RAs, and your supervisors.
If you’re wondering where to start, here are five ways to create or seek Curiosity, Clarity, and Care in your new role:
Community Building:
- Ask your residents what kind of programs THEY want to see.
- Give them a list of a few ideas and have them vote: What kind of snacks and activities do they enjoy? What days of the week do they have the most free time?
- Follow up by creating events and communicating through multiple channels (posters, group chats, knocking on doors) when these programs occur.
Resident Resourcefulness:
- Who do your residents need to contact if they’re sick? What if they need after-hours mental health care? Who can they talk to who is confidential (since you are not)?
- Make a list during training of the various resources a resident may need, and ask your supervisor if you’re curious about other methods of support for residents.
- Listen to understand, and know your resources. Don’t be afraid to ask a resident if they need help, and let them know you’re there for them to connect them with appropriate resources.
Teamwork:
- Get to know your teammates, say hi to them around campus, and encourage them!
- See if other RAs on your team want to program with you.
- Be willing to swap duty shifts with others if you are able to.
Administrative Skills:
- Write any reports with clarity, read them back to yourself as if you were someone who was not there. Does it accurately and clearly describe the experience?
- Ask your supervisor if you are unsure of deadlines. Put them in your calendar, and ask for feedback to make sure you’re on the right track.
- Show care for other people’s time and energy. Be on time and be engaged. Your staff meetings and one-on-ones with supervisors are there to help you grow!
Guiding and Living Out Policy:
- Know the rules yourself and ask clarifying questions to your supervisor if you’re unsure of a policy. Don’t guess!
- Be clear with your residents about what the rules are, as well as what the consequences are for breaking them.
- If you’re helping to ensure rules are being followed, make sure you’re following them yourself!
Your residents will be busy, they may be stressed, and they may at times be disengaged. Let your residents know you’re there to create a positive floor environment, be a resource to them, and help make residence life policies clear. You are the peer leader of your floor, so ground yourself in what makes you a great RA, be open to learning, and lean into curiosity, clarity, and care. You are going to be amazing!
