/r/ResidentAssistant

Photograph via snooOG

A subreddit for Resident Assistants. Share stories, swap programming ideas, or just vent.

A subreddit for Resident Assistants.

Resources for RAs

ResidentAssistant.com UMB Resident Assistant Web Resources

/r/ResidentAssistant

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2

Should I become an RA

Idk if I should become an RA at my university.

What they offer:

- Free housing + meal plan

What is required of me:

- Office hours once a week from 7 pm-12 am

- Create monthly programs for my residents on my floor

View Poll

4 Comments
2025/01/29
23:59 UTC

0

Messed up during interview ?

Hey yall. I am feeling so guilty about this language I used. Basically I was doing a group activity during an interview and it was about programming or preparing for certain student groups and our group was students with disabilities. When it was our turn to present I said that there are a lot of different types of disabilities someone might struggle with… now i’m nervous this screwed my chances of getting the job and was just wondering if anyone here knew if i was donezo or not.

6 Comments
2025/01/28
23:28 UTC

6

What’s your top programs that you’ve had?

I’m a new RA and i’m supposed to have a new program every month and i’m having trouble thinking of good ones. Any ideas?

14 Comments
2025/01/28
20:49 UTC

2

how would you answer the question, "As an RA, how will you help to grow, connect, and empower your residents within the residential community? "

I am having trouble not overlapping my answers to this question with answers about my skills and experience. How would you tackle this question?

3 Comments
2025/01/28
18:22 UTC

5

I Got Accepted For An RA Interview!! What Questions Are Usually Asked?

Hey y'all! Title gives it all away, I'm a current Freshman and I was recently accepted for an interview for the RA position. I feel decently confident, but as they say, "Prepare for the worst, hope for the best," so what are some questions that I can expect to be asked?

6 Comments
2025/01/28
00:14 UTC

5

Program Ideas Help

Hey guys! So i’m actually not an RA i’m a CA, so instead im a commuters assistant. Im looking for any ideas your residents have enjoyed, as my commuters have been recently complaining that our programs are overdone. Anything advice on something creative that would catch your eye would be awesome!

4 Comments
2025/01/22
22:17 UTC

4

Interview Questions

Hi everyone! I am helping a resident prep for their RA interview and I was wondering what questions you were asked during your interviews. I already have some questions about event planning, why they want the position, and strengths/weaknesses, but I am open to whatever ideas you have.

Also, if you have advice for the interview that I can pass along, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

2 Comments
2025/01/21
22:54 UTC

8

burnout

looking for support from other RAs in the same boat as me, my first semester as an RA burned me out so bad. this role as fun as it was sometimes and gave me something to do, it caused a severe toll on my mental and physical health, i had headaches, stomachaches, panic attacks and other health issues. rehires are soon and i have to make a decision if i want to come back but i really don’t see myself doing this for a 2nd year and everyday i go back and forth. i have such bad anxiety since freshman year and this role exacerbates it. i think it's best if i just be a resident from now on. i guess ive just fallen out of love with the role. curious if anyone else have gone through this?

4 Comments
2025/01/20
23:39 UTC

5

Good questions to ask at the end of my RA interview?

Title

7 Comments
2025/01/18
00:41 UTC

2

How to ask or approach supervisor about missing spring break closing?

Okay yall, I am on the dance team for my school and we leave midweek right before spring break to travel with the basketball teams to their tournament. Well, we do closing the morning after the last day of classes (Saturday), but for this trip I’d be leaving like Thursday morning (also I’m co-captain😭 so ya know I’d like to be there lol). If this wasn’t going straight into spring break, I’d pick up extra shifts, but I’m afraid on how to approach this because we have to go through closing protocol (even if it takes an hour, if that). Please help me because I don’t want to come off as like arrogant because I know the other RAs would have extra work if that makes sense.

6 Comments
2025/01/17
18:35 UTC

6

Resident Assistant Jobs OUTSIDE of College

This is a unique type of request. As the title suggests, I am looking for Resident Assistant jobs outside of the college environment. It can be seasonal. Preferably at a resort/camp or something similar. Also preferably in the western United States (mountains are a plus).

I have 3 years of experience as an RA. I was an RA for 2.5 years in college. I also was an RA at Cedar Point amusment park for 2 summer breaks. The RA position at Cedar Point was a full time job (40-50 hours a week) in which I worked in the employee residential buildings. I managed the front desk, daily room check in and check outs, bulding reports, and roomate issues. I recieved hourly pay in addition to free housing.

Cedar Point housed around 2500 seasonal employees who worked in the park. The city of Sandusky in which Cedar Point is located cannot provide the manpower needed to run the park, which is why they bring in people from all over the country and the world. It was really cool experience and I would recomend it to anyone interested in RA jobs over the summer. Other Six Flags parks have these jobs too.

Given that, I am looking for similar RA opportunites at other locations, preferably out west. I did apply to one RA position at a camp in Alaska last summer but was not selected. I found that job on coolworks.com.

Does anyone know of any RA jobs like this? Or websites that I can find more?

2 Comments
2025/01/17
05:57 UTC

5

RA application help?

Hi! So I'm applying to be an RA and one of the listed questions is asking why you put your first preference for halls. I listed a hall that has apartment style rooms but i'm not sure how to explain my preference without sounding selfish? I want that hall for the obvious reasons (not having to sacrifice the experience of living with friends for a job) but also because I feel like I can relate to and help more with upper classman struggles (degree planning, post graduation plans, academics get more intense, burnout, etc) How do I explain this without sounding selfish? Thank you <3

3 Comments
2025/01/15
21:57 UTC

1

part time job and high credits during RA work

I'm a current sophomore who will be an RA starting my junior year. I am considering a major switch, which will require me to take 18+ credits every semester until I graduate, and I plan on taking a research assistant role next school year, and I was wonder if this was manageable and will I still be able to have a life. :)

11 Comments
2025/01/15
04:24 UTC

4

Resident Hygiene - need advice

I have a resident whose room smells so horrendous you can smell it in the hallway. I’m not one to judge but his room really smells horrible. When conducting room checks it’s something that was written as a health violation (had a very messy room along of smell). I don’t know what to do. Should I talk to my area coordinator or does this concern not involve me. Any advice ?

8 Comments
2025/01/14
03:52 UTC

6

Resident Grief - Advice Needed

A resident of mine lost someone over the break. What can I do to help support them through their grief without being too invasive?

2 Comments
2025/01/12
15:32 UTC

6

What skills should you work on or improve in order to be an RA (Resident assistant/advisor)?

Hi there! Applying for RA position and one of the questions is asking what 3 areas or skills do you need to get better at in order to be an RA. I feel like I'm pretty good at the common answers like time management, problem solving etc. Former RAs or people that hire them, what answers would you give?

5 Comments
2025/01/10
17:50 UTC

4

Event on a tight budget

Hi! I'm applying to be an RA next semester but I need help with some ideas for events. I need to be able to plan an event fro 30 people on a budget of $20. Any thoughts? Our campus is in the northern mid-west, so it's pretty cold outside and we can only do indoor events.

10 Comments
2025/01/06
20:33 UTC

6

New RA Questions

I was just offered a job to be a RA for the upcoming semester i just wanted to know if you guys had any tips/suggestions i’m gonna be in the freshman dorms and the last RA got fired and didn’t have a very good relationship with everyone. I also had a few questions like how did your aid packages change when you became a RA and how was training?

4 Comments
2025/01/05
01:19 UTC

12

From fellow RA’s: Would it look bad as a 3-year RA and Student Leader to skip my graduation ceremony?

TL;DR at the end.

This past year, I’ve developed a bad taste in my mouth towards my university as an institution (not towards the people within it). I’m feeling this way because I feel like I haven’t gotten much value out of my degree, which my institution over-promised and under-delivered on. Additionally, I’ve seen so many cases of students’ expectations of the university based on what admissions told them not matching up to reality (and losing thousands of $ and months of time as a result: myself included). Needless to say, I’ve become very resentful towards the university leadership and the institution because of these failures to be upfront and honest with students (many of whom I’ve been an RA for). I feel that the university - as an institution - doesn’t deserve to have me and other disenfranchised students show pride for it at the commencement ceremony. My family is indifferent to it and will be holding our own celebration regardless of the ceremony.

However, my residents (whom I deeply care for and have great relationships with) know I’m graduating and will more than likely be at commencement - same goes for my RA colleagues and leaders who I am very close with. I would like to tell everyone my honest feelings and inform them upfront that I won’t be walking at my graduation ceremony, but I’m also worried about how that could reflect poorly both on me as an RA and our team as a whole.

Do y’all have any advice, as fellow RAs and (more than likely) student leaders on how to best approach this?

TL;DR: I’m graduating in May and I’m disappointed in my university as an institution and feel like I haven’t gotten much value out of my degree. I don’t want to walk in commencement because of this. But I don’t want to disappoint/reflect poorly on my residents and RA colleagues. How should I approach this from that lens?

17 Comments
2025/01/04
16:45 UTC

14

Hall Director as an Undergrad?

is this normal? I have been a Hall Director for 2 years. I am in my final year of undergrad. I manage a whole dorm building of roughly 120 upperclassmen in a co-ed building. My ‘pay’ is money I never actually see, and no stipend. It’s great to get school paid for but i’m so tired of struggling for money. The (all undergrad) Hall Directors are compensated with free room & board (single apartment), free 19 meals weekly, free parking pass and a $4,000/a semester scholarship. RA’s are compensated the same, minus the scholarship. I am on call essentially 24/7 to emergencies in my building. I would like to know how other housing programs work in the country.

7 Comments
2024/12/31
23:07 UTC

18

Tips For a New RA

I'm a new RA at my university this semester and am worried about how to make a connection with the residents since they are used to someone different. Also, from what I've heard, their last RA wasn't very strict and didn't enforce the rules at all, so how do I go about implementing the rules? I don't want to come across as too strict, but I also don't want to have my residents running wild in the open.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated:)

21 Comments
2024/12/31
15:25 UTC

5

RA Interview Advice/Tips

Hello! I submitted my written application for the RA position a few weeks ago. I was looking for some advice or tips for my interview, or even anything in general for the application process! (If I receive one...)

19 Comments
2024/12/28
02:36 UTC

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