The pros and cons of being a campus RA BY MEAGHAN MCGOLDRICK Sometimes college can be hard to swing — between the price of classes, textbooks, extracurriculars and even the cost of living. It can pile up. One thing that can ease the burden is signing on to be a resident assistant for one of your college campus dorms. This task, however wonderful (most colleges comp RAs by covering the cost of living on campus), is also a full-time job. Before you take the plunge and apply, it might be good to consider what you’re really getting into. PRO: The payback. This one is plain and simple. With most colleges paying RAs in room and board, it’s kind of hard to say no to a job like this when you’re both qualifi ed and in need of the extra cash. “It’s a good way to save money while also getting involved with the student body,” said Ryan Bacci, an Iona College graduate (class of 2014) who spent his senior year working as a resident assistant. “That’s a major pro.” CON: Being on-call. Most school require that resident assistants be “on-call” for specifi c amounts of time, often more than one time a week, and for some, even on the weekends. This is because a resident assistant needs to be either in the building or at the very least on campus to respond to any emergencies or problems other students might face. This means calls could come in in the middle of the night, and could interfere harshly with both your sleep schedule and social life. PRO: The experience and lifelong friendships. Being a resident assistant shows great leadership and managerial skills. To boot, you get to partake in tons of exciting programs and even lead some for the residents on the fl oor or in the building you manage. This creates an instant bond, for many, between them and their students as well as them and their fellow RAs. "I think it teaches you accountability. RAs are taught and reminded that their life is in a fi shbowl; that they will be seen fi rst and foremost as an RA," added Iona College graduate and former resident assistant Erika Enlund (class of 2013). "That, for me, was empowering and I still hold that essence with me in the workplace. My actions and my integrity speak louder than anything else so it's important to always keep that in check." Also lifechanging, she said, were her residents. "Of course that's cliché but it was diff erent type of college relationship," Enlund said. "I still keep in touch with most of them and even my former RAs. I'm still cheering them on and watching them grow and that's really cool. To know I was part of that growth is very special to me and I'll always be grateful for those two years regardless of the rounds, endless staff meetings, incidents, and bulletin board deadlines." CON: Extra work. Those programs (and bulletin boards and door decorations and fl yers) don’t make themselves. Make sure that you take into account all of the extra time you’ll be putting in, and that it doesn’t tip the scale for you when it comes to your classes and other extracurriculars. “It defi nitely has its challenges dealing with more than 40 college students and the challenges that comes with,” said Bacci, “but overall, it’s a good experience.” QNS.COM SPRING 2017 21
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