5 Reasons I’m a Second-Year RA

Pictured above: Half-selfie of me leading an RA training session called “The Unbreakable Resident Assistant.”

By Julia Trupp

If you ask any resident assistant (RA), why they live on campus the default response is easy: Free room and board.

But there are even more fantastic aspects. It gets even better the second year. I am a second-year RA in a lovely residence hall on campus, Maple Hill East.

Here’s why I decided to come back.

1. Programming Love

Spontaneous movie night programs are nice, but last year, I learned that planning and advertising a huge program got more attention than a movie night ever would.

I refer to it as my “two-day-long Valentine’s Day celebration.”  It was not only social, but it was also kind of educational.

“Make Love With Your RAs” was the name of the first night. It included small party favor cups filled with Hershey’s Kisses and condoms. We set up a Valentine-card-decorating stations.

The second day’s theme was “Anti-Valentine’s Day” with a heart-shaped pinata. Residents were encouraged to “beat the heck out of love.” Pat Benatar’s “Love is a Battlefield” was played. Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love a Bad Name” was heard. These songs are even better set to the thump of a bat against a candy-filled pinata.

Curious residents showed up, even from different buildings. The turn out made me fall in love — Get it? — with the job even more.

2. Experience = Expertise

This year, I was lucky enough to return to the building where I started my RA experience. I even lived on the second floor, again.

I moved into my previous co-RA’s room down the hall, so that was a nice change of scenery. But basically, I’m a second-floor expert.

I know every nook-and-cranny of the weird toaster oven in the common room, the peeling middle-couch cushion in that same room. I recognize every creak of the floor when my residents come home at three in the morning (from a late night at Club Mullins, obviously).

Each year, student leaders participate in a weekend-long event called “Diversity Leadership Institute.” As a returning RA, I got to lead a session (along with the help of two of my friendly building co-RAs). It was themed after Netflix series “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” and I called mine “The Unbreakable Resident Assistant.”

You can see that picture at the top of this story. It got even more full after this. As you can see, people started sitting on the ground. Personal victory, yes!

3. Building Secrets Revealed

I spent a year of my college life tending my building – even cleaning up some “gnarly vom,” as I overheard a resident say to their friend one time last year. I’ve sent out maintenance requests to fix the oddly-heated floor in a resident’s room, battled an ant infestation, dealt with lockout upon lockout.

I know the place like the back of my hand.

I got to show this year’s new staff members the hidden treasures and secrets of the residence hall.

I’m especially thinking about exclusive fob-entries like the electrical closet. The benefits of power.

And I’ve welcomed them to my “English Corner,” a space in my room set up with England-themed posters and apparel and a tea station.

4. Thicker “Creative” Skin

Let the creativity flow! When I became a first-year RA, I already had a Pinterest board set up with ideas for bulletin boards and door decs (you can find it here).

I was ready to conquer with my card stock and craft glue. I would make the coolest door decs anyone could ever wish for. My first-year co-RAs and I spent 10 hours on the decorations and those creative masterpieces vanished almost immediately.

No resident would ever dream of tearing them off their doors to hang a wreath their best friend’s mom made for her. No way!

Well, it totally happened with the first set of door decs I made, and I developed thicker skin. 

Were they too boring? Not enough Disney? Or sparkles? The world will never know.

This year, we spent the same amount of time on our door decs and bulletin board, and I knew, deep down, we were taking a risk. But for some reason, it was all totally worth it.

Our theme was “Whalecome to College!” resplendent with whale door decs. We even had narwhals – my personal favorite – and my sweet residents kept them up for a couple months before someone went around and stole all of them at once.

I guess they were too good to just have one.

5. Master of Hats

As an RA, I am a student leader, mentor, confidant, authority figure, rule enforcer, master planner, clean-up crew, building enthusiast, secretary, tutor, older sibling. The list goes on.

I wear a lot of hats.

I wrote a column for The Arkansas Traveler’s “Companion” section last year when I was the section editor. I included one of my favorite quotes, which I will also insert here because it is incredibly relevant when trying to describe everything involved in this position.

It comes from a great film, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” and it goes like this:

“To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other and to feel. That is the purpose of life.”

And I believe that, too, is the purpose of the resident assistant position.

Each of the aforementioned things illustrates a day in the life of an RA. And it could end up illustrating you.

Trust me. I’m a second-year RA. I know things.

RA application are open.