Life as an RA

So welcome to Tulane to all of those who read my blog and emailed me over the summer. I know it’s more than you anticipated- you’re going to love the four years ahead of you.

Which brings me to the thing that’s been on my mind- my college career is officially half done. In less than two years I’ll be graduating and moving on and that’s a scary thought. This year I’m a resident advisor for Leadership Village and the last two weeks have been a lot of fun with getting to know the other Willow/Aron/Modular RAs and the other RAs in general. I’ve started a new chapter in my life and I’m enjoying every second of it so far.

It’s 2:35 am and I happen to have a desk shift here at the Willow front desk. In the last two weeks I’ve really seen a whole new side of Tulane and gained the respect of an entire new group of people. RAs here really do work hard and they have a LOT of issues to handle. Just today, as an upperclassmen RA, I was handling an erroneous placement that led to girls and boys living together, equipment problems, contractor problems, and more. Other RAs were dealing with pets on campus, switching mattresses and furniture, and irate parents. And this is as upperclassmen RAs.

Freshmen, make sure you thank your RAs because I can guarantee that tonight they have had a million calls while on duty, 3 hour rounds in just one building, and so many domestic disturbances that you would never even think about if you weren’t an RA. I really have a newfound respect for MY past RAs because they handled all my issues and the issues of 30 other residents with confidence and grace. It’s not an easy job but it can be very rewarding when a resident comes to you for help, waves at you from their balcony, or starts to talk to you when they see you on campus. It’s like making a lot of new friends all at once.

Being a resident advisor is going to be very interesting, I think. Tomorrow is upperclassmen move in, so I’m literally on my feet 7:30 AM to 4 PM. Right now is the calm before the storm and it gives me a little time to reflect on my thoughts. Being an RA is a wonderful leadership opportunity and I encourage many of you to think about applying to be an RA this upcoming spring. If you want programming exposure and to be in charge of planning and budgeting you should think about applying to live in Leadership Village.

I’ve already had all those moments I discussed earlier- the smiles, the waves, and the conversation. I already have my favorite moments as an RA with only 1/4 of my residence hall full. I can’t wait for the moments that await.

Welcome back to Tulane on behalf of your RAs!