Resident Advisor Round Two
I enjoyed my first year as an RA. I decided to go for a second. I found myself on the other end of the experience spectrum this year: last year I was the staff member asking all the questions, but this year I was the one providing many of the answers.
I felt a lot more comfortable this year and made connections quickly with my new residents with heavy programming at the beginning of the year. I also felt a lot more confident in my ability to react to problems and respond to emergencies. This year, just like the year before it, had its fair share of resident emergencies. However, I felt like the floor was a lot more connected under my more confident leadership. Turner Hall is a tough hall to get residents involved in because the suite style housing has most everything a student needs. My floor was probably the most social out of the whole building, because I would see residents always spending their time with in each other's rooms. I was also invited to rooms a lot more and developed some close friendships with my residents. I appreciated this, because they respected me enough to follow hall policies but felt comfortable enough to invite me to spend time with them. Things were going great.
I decided that this year, I wanted to center my programs around a common theme: exploring Cincinnati. Unfortunately for many out-of-state residents and out-of-city residents, they progress through their college career knowing Cincinnati as the few blocks immediately around campus. I wanted to take some of these residents to go see some of CIncinnati's landmarks and museums. I was able to accomplish a few of these trips around the city, even though organizing transportation proved a nightmare. Nonetheless, these programs were very well attended and offered a lot about culture and history in Cincinnati. As one resident told me, "I've always wanted to go see Cincy. I just don't know where to go or who to go with."
In February, our staff was taken by surprise when our fellow coworker, supervisor, and friend Jason decided to leave the Resident Coordinator after six years for personal reasons. This left a massive gap in leadership from early late February until early April. For this month and a half, our staff had to step up to this challenge. Without a direct supervisor, it would have been easy for someone on our staff to not program, do rounds, or handle resident issues. Many of Jason's duties were relegated to our staff, especially our grad student and Assistant Resident Coordinator. It was up to myself and the few other returning RAs to use our experience and make sure the hall ran smoothly. Since the RC was in charge of getting funds for programming, I had to cancel my planned programs to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden and Cincinnati Art Museum. These were replaced with programs that were free or offered by UC resources Thankfully, with much work and motivation, our staff made it through this displacement period.
This year, I was awarded the highest award available for Resident Advisors, RA of the Year Award. Very few RAs are selected for this. I was told I was selected because of the connection I had with my residents, quality of my programming, and upholding of job policies and procedures. I had a great staff and was very honored to have received this award.
Two years as an RA helped me mature greatly and gave me great friends and experiences. It takes a special balance and time management to be a leader twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. As our director put it, "an RA isn't a job, its a lifestyle." Yet it was a lifestyle that I appreciated. I decided not to pursue another semester as an RA because of my plans to study abroad.
I felt a lot more comfortable this year and made connections quickly with my new residents with heavy programming at the beginning of the year. I also felt a lot more confident in my ability to react to problems and respond to emergencies. This year, just like the year before it, had its fair share of resident emergencies. However, I felt like the floor was a lot more connected under my more confident leadership. Turner Hall is a tough hall to get residents involved in because the suite style housing has most everything a student needs. My floor was probably the most social out of the whole building, because I would see residents always spending their time with in each other's rooms. I was also invited to rooms a lot more and developed some close friendships with my residents. I appreciated this, because they respected me enough to follow hall policies but felt comfortable enough to invite me to spend time with them. Things were going great.
I decided that this year, I wanted to center my programs around a common theme: exploring Cincinnati. Unfortunately for many out-of-state residents and out-of-city residents, they progress through their college career knowing Cincinnati as the few blocks immediately around campus. I wanted to take some of these residents to go see some of CIncinnati's landmarks and museums. I was able to accomplish a few of these trips around the city, even though organizing transportation proved a nightmare. Nonetheless, these programs were very well attended and offered a lot about culture and history in Cincinnati. As one resident told me, "I've always wanted to go see Cincy. I just don't know where to go or who to go with."
In February, our staff was taken by surprise when our fellow coworker, supervisor, and friend Jason decided to leave the Resident Coordinator after six years for personal reasons. This left a massive gap in leadership from early late February until early April. For this month and a half, our staff had to step up to this challenge. Without a direct supervisor, it would have been easy for someone on our staff to not program, do rounds, or handle resident issues. Many of Jason's duties were relegated to our staff, especially our grad student and Assistant Resident Coordinator. It was up to myself and the few other returning RAs to use our experience and make sure the hall ran smoothly. Since the RC was in charge of getting funds for programming, I had to cancel my planned programs to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden and Cincinnati Art Museum. These were replaced with programs that were free or offered by UC resources Thankfully, with much work and motivation, our staff made it through this displacement period.
This year, I was awarded the highest award available for Resident Advisors, RA of the Year Award. Very few RAs are selected for this. I was told I was selected because of the connection I had with my residents, quality of my programming, and upholding of job policies and procedures. I had a great staff and was very honored to have received this award.
Two years as an RA helped me mature greatly and gave me great friends and experiences. It takes a special balance and time management to be a leader twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. As our director put it, "an RA isn't a job, its a lifestyle." Yet it was a lifestyle that I appreciated. I decided not to pursue another semester as an RA because of my plans to study abroad.
Some Programs I put on this year:
Grilled Cheese and Greet -> I made grilled cheese sandwiches and put out board games and got to know some of the residents early on in the year
Trip to Cincinnati Museum Center -> I took a group of about 12 students, many of them international, by public transit to visit the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal. We visited the Natural History Museum and Cincinnati History Museum. This was probably the most difficult to coordinate, but one of the most rewarding.
Trip to National Underground Freedom Center -> I took a group of students to go visit the National Underground Freedom Center in downtown Cincinnati, the only museum of its kind. The museum focuses heavily on slavery and human rights. After a self guided day tour, we returned home.
Sex and Smoothies -> Facilitated by the Student Wellness Center, I made smoothies and gathered residents while student representatives from the Wellness Center talked about STI awareness and testing, safe sex, and spring break safety tips.
Homelessness and Box Forts -> I collected used cardboard boxes for weeks and had program where residents built their own "fort" out of boxes. Once the box forts were built, I led a trivia game about homelessness facts and figures in Cincinnati and the United States as a whole, and then among different demographics.
Looney Tunes 101 -> We gathered and watched three episodes of old Looney Tunes. We then talked about stereotypes that we noticed in the shows and how these may have influenced a generation that grew up on them. Inspired by this article.
Trip to Cincinnati Museum Center -> I took a group of about 12 students, many of them international, by public transit to visit the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal. We visited the Natural History Museum and Cincinnati History Museum. This was probably the most difficult to coordinate, but one of the most rewarding.
Trip to National Underground Freedom Center -> I took a group of students to go visit the National Underground Freedom Center in downtown Cincinnati, the only museum of its kind. The museum focuses heavily on slavery and human rights. After a self guided day tour, we returned home.
Sex and Smoothies -> Facilitated by the Student Wellness Center, I made smoothies and gathered residents while student representatives from the Wellness Center talked about STI awareness and testing, safe sex, and spring break safety tips.
Homelessness and Box Forts -> I collected used cardboard boxes for weeks and had program where residents built their own "fort" out of boxes. Once the box forts were built, I led a trivia game about homelessness facts and figures in Cincinnati and the United States as a whole, and then among different demographics.
Looney Tunes 101 -> We gathered and watched three episodes of old Looney Tunes. We then talked about stereotypes that we noticed in the shows and how these may have influenced a generation that grew up on them. Inspired by this article.