Here is a nice song detailing RA life. It's pretty accurate.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
Thoughts on Answering the Door
Even when an RA isn't on call/duty, they are obligated to answer their door when there's a knock. This happens usually around 50 percent of the time you have just gotten into bed for a nap. RA's are not about to wake up from their delicious nap to get up and deal with an issue. The resident can go find another way to solve their problem.
This may sound selfish and as if RAs are shirking their duty, but if you got woken up to go unlock residents door because he left his ID inside and doesn't want to bother his roommates, you'd be pissed, too. Or maybe they interrupted you trying to submit an assignment on time that your procrastination had pushed you close to the deadline for, but their interruption made you late. That's another reason to get angry.
In addition, residents who knock at the door like church-mice are possibly (though, again, no research has been done in this area) more obnoxious than the door kickers. At least the church mice are polite though.
So to sum up this short little rant, don't bother me! Go find the on-call RA or DON'T FORGET YOUR ID.
This may sound selfish and as if RAs are shirking their duty, but if you got woken up to go unlock residents door because he left his ID inside and doesn't want to bother his roommates, you'd be pissed, too. Or maybe they interrupted you trying to submit an assignment on time that your procrastination had pushed you close to the deadline for, but their interruption made you late. That's another reason to get angry.
In addition, residents who knock at the door like church-mice are possibly (though, again, no research has been done in this area) more obnoxious than the door kickers. At least the church mice are polite though.
So to sum up this short little rant, don't bother me! Go find the on-call RA or DON'T FORGET YOUR ID.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Beauty School Drop Out, Go Back to High School
I feel as if, in my more recent posts, I have given the impression that being an RA is a breeze and any Joe Schmo off the streets can handle it. This may or may not be true, research is still being conducted. Nonetheless, the job comes with many stresses that a lot of new RAs are unprepared for. Its a big responsibility for a 19 year old to shoulder. So every now and then RAs will drop out, quit, or transfer. Recently, drop out rates have been soaring. Newbs and Veteran RAs alike have been laying plans to desert come the semester's close. In fact, the freshman building Cloudyskies is losing 5 of 8 staff. All veterans. This type of desertion is unprecedented and HRL is put upon to discover a solution.
Short term, HRL should look to fill the positions with the trained available alternates and then re-hire departed staff. In the long term, the department should determine the factors causing this and work to alleviate the issues. Its important to look at the demographics of the students leaving. The majority of the RAs who quit work in freshman buildings. The RAs are often working under a new supervisor, and the building is usually in poor repair. HRL should recognize this as a opportunity to better their training. They should offer more specialized training for RAs who are governing the freshman students because they require a more delicate touch than upperclassmen. They should see a greater need for HD's/GA's to bond or work with their staff before opening. Familiarity, in our case, breeds comfort. And lastly they should take away that building in poor repair causes unhappiness, and unhappy students fuck shit up further, making a reasonable repair plan impossible. Learn some upkeep!
Basically, I just wanted to call to your attention that while sometimes you hate RAs, sometimes RAs hate themselves. This job is crazy.
Short term, HRL should look to fill the positions with the trained available alternates and then re-hire departed staff. In the long term, the department should determine the factors causing this and work to alleviate the issues. Its important to look at the demographics of the students leaving. The majority of the RAs who quit work in freshman buildings. The RAs are often working under a new supervisor, and the building is usually in poor repair. HRL should recognize this as a opportunity to better their training. They should offer more specialized training for RAs who are governing the freshman students because they require a more delicate touch than upperclassmen. They should see a greater need for HD's/GA's to bond or work with their staff before opening. Familiarity, in our case, breeds comfort. And lastly they should take away that building in poor repair causes unhappiness, and unhappy students fuck shit up further, making a reasonable repair plan impossible. Learn some upkeep!
Basically, I just wanted to call to your attention that while sometimes you hate RAs, sometimes RAs hate themselves. This job is crazy.
Personality Typing
It takes a special kind person to be RA. In fact, the type of people that become RA's are so special, you could basically classify them all in the categories listed below.
The Attention Whore - these types make the worst RAs. They have some complex where having an entire hallway forced to listen, agree, and follow commands is a craving they need to feel. Think of it like a boss considering his workers to be both servant and built in friends. RAs classified as such often give trust too easily to resident's (creating to many fresidents) by partying with them and letting them off the hook. This bites them in the ass when they ultimately and inevitably get taken advantage of.
The Townie - these RAs are most often native to our beloved state. They see being an RA as an escape from living at home and an opportunity to make some money while they're at it. Usually, these are some of the more normal RA's (as normal as natives can be) but they are never around because their entire town goes to HC and they are off gallavanting with them.
The Financially Dependent - sometimes this type will overlap with "the Townie". These RAs couldn't care less about the job or the community building etc., but they need the money. Temperament with these kids is the most varied because they may rigidly enforce rules to keep their employment safe or they may let the chaos reign because they are only in it for the money.
The Power-Hungry - This asshole is probably one of the worst RAs you can get. Their motivations for becoming an RA may have other sources, but their joy in the job comes from having absolute control over their residents life. Think of these kids as little Fidels-in-training. Most often these RAs will reside strictly in freshman dorms where they are more likely to maintain power over froshies and have no gainsay against them.
The Resume Builder - We all know our fair share of over achievers, and the RA community is no exception. This type will push all the goals of RAs such as programming, community building, etc. Some students may chafe at having such an actively (possibly overwhelmingly so) RA, but ulitimately they will benefit from this type. This type is also seen most often in freshman buildings, as they find the apathy of upperclassmen discouraging.
The Others - these RAs are miscellaneous. They probably have become RAs because the job is fairly easy with excellent pay and guaranteed housing. They sort of float all over and are usually the perfect mix of laid back and disciplined.
There are of course RAs that can't be categorized so easily, or perhaps are a bit of several of the described types. But for the most part, this list can pin down your RA's personality perfectly.
The Attention Whore - these types make the worst RAs. They have some complex where having an entire hallway forced to listen, agree, and follow commands is a craving they need to feel. Think of it like a boss considering his workers to be both servant and built in friends. RAs classified as such often give trust too easily to resident's (creating to many fresidents) by partying with them and letting them off the hook. This bites them in the ass when they ultimately and inevitably get taken advantage of.
The Townie - these RAs are most often native to our beloved state. They see being an RA as an escape from living at home and an opportunity to make some money while they're at it. Usually, these are some of the more normal RA's (as normal as natives can be) but they are never around because their entire town goes to HC and they are off gallavanting with them.
The Financially Dependent - sometimes this type will overlap with "the Townie". These RAs couldn't care less about the job or the community building etc., but they need the money. Temperament with these kids is the most varied because they may rigidly enforce rules to keep their employment safe or they may let the chaos reign because they are only in it for the money.
The Power-Hungry - This asshole is probably one of the worst RAs you can get. Their motivations for becoming an RA may have other sources, but their joy in the job comes from having absolute control over their residents life. Think of these kids as little Fidels-in-training. Most often these RAs will reside strictly in freshman dorms where they are more likely to maintain power over froshies and have no gainsay against them.
The Resume Builder - We all know our fair share of over achievers, and the RA community is no exception. This type will push all the goals of RAs such as programming, community building, etc. Some students may chafe at having such an actively (possibly overwhelmingly so) RA, but ulitimately they will benefit from this type. This type is also seen most often in freshman buildings, as they find the apathy of upperclassmen discouraging.
The Others - these RAs are miscellaneous. They probably have become RAs because the job is fairly easy with excellent pay and guaranteed housing. They sort of float all over and are usually the perfect mix of laid back and disciplined.
There are of course RAs that can't be categorized so easily, or perhaps are a bit of several of the described types. But for the most part, this list can pin down your RA's personality perfectly.
All Access Pass
Considering the last post on hypocrisy and abuse of power, you might be beginning to feel wary of your RA's capabilities. Sit tight because you are about to get a lot more uncomfortable. Did you know RA's have access to literally everything about any student on campus? And I am not speaking solely about physical access. Though it is true that our ID's get us into any building, and by extension access to every RA office on campus provides all the master keys for rooms and apartments. The physical access is nothing compared to the information available in the computer records about your school life. With just your last name, I could look up your ID number, where you live (and where you have lived), how to contact your parents, any past disputes you may have had, your roommates, tuition bill information (payment amounts and dates, etc.), and that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Nervous to have your information so public? You should be. I have the access myself and it makes me anxious. One reason being that the information is not only viewable, but changeable. Take into consideration all your interactions with HC staff. Yea. Fuck.
Nervous to have your information so public? You should be. I have the access myself and it makes me anxious. One reason being that the information is not only viewable, but changeable. Take into consideration all your interactions with HC staff. Yea. Fuck.
Thoughts on Hypocrisy
Often times on a write-up, a resident will stammer out protests, most commonly including the accusation of R.A.'s also partying. This is argument is always ignored, but never invalid.
Being an R.A. is truly the ultimate conflict of interests. On the one hand, being a college student, the desire to rage and be irresponsible is almost undeniable. On the other hand, however, being an R.A. requires a ridiculous amount of self-discipline and control, as well as an internalized sense of responsibility. I say 'internalized' because while R.A.'s have a laundry list of people they are accountable to, the monitoring done by those on the list is minimal at best. The truth is, R.A.'s run entire buildings of 300+ students on a day to day basis with limited restrictions and few outside constraints.
That may sound like a a dramatic claim, but it is truthful and actual. You might call to mind some Toby Mcguire (or Peter Parker for those hardcore comic fans), "with great power comes great responsibility". Well, there's also a heavy temptation to abuse that power. I would say almost 90 percent of R.A.'s take advantage of their superiority. When you have access to every room, every closet, the roof, the basement, and there is no one in sight that can rebuke you for your actions, its hard to resist. And put yourself in our situation: when half the student population hates you for ruining their fun and seem to have a knack for making your life miserable, your boss assigns foolish busy work and requires you to run elaborate programs with no funds, the typical R.A. feels put upon. Whether or not they actually are is not the debate in question.
So, yes, to answer your accusations upset and drunk resi, we are hypocrites. But you got caught for fucking around so suck it up and be quieter next time.
Being an R.A. is truly the ultimate conflict of interests. On the one hand, being a college student, the desire to rage and be irresponsible is almost undeniable. On the other hand, however, being an R.A. requires a ridiculous amount of self-discipline and control, as well as an internalized sense of responsibility. I say 'internalized' because while R.A.'s have a laundry list of people they are accountable to, the monitoring done by those on the list is minimal at best. The truth is, R.A.'s run entire buildings of 300+ students on a day to day basis with limited restrictions and few outside constraints.
That may sound like a a dramatic claim, but it is truthful and actual. You might call to mind some Toby Mcguire (or Peter Parker for those hardcore comic fans), "with great power comes great responsibility". Well, there's also a heavy temptation to abuse that power. I would say almost 90 percent of R.A.'s take advantage of their superiority. When you have access to every room, every closet, the roof, the basement, and there is no one in sight that can rebuke you for your actions, its hard to resist. And put yourself in our situation: when half the student population hates you for ruining their fun and seem to have a knack for making your life miserable, your boss assigns foolish busy work and requires you to run elaborate programs with no funds, the typical R.A. feels put upon. Whether or not they actually are is not the debate in question.
So, yes, to answer your accusations upset and drunk resi, we are hypocrites. But you got caught for fucking around so suck it up and be quieter next time.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Thoughts on Complainers
Do you have a problem in your room you would like fixed? Excellent, we'd love to help. Unless you're a complaining whiner, then, get the fuck out. Honestly? Does anyone anywhere respond positively to droning whine used by obnoxious snobs? I don't think so, and although I don't have research to back up my hypothesis, I'd say 76.94% of people want to smack complainers across the face.Now that I've finished ranting, I'd like to turn this post into a more helpful piece. When going to ask your RA for help, keep these few points in mind:
- Know where you live. Should I even have to say that?? When I go to report your issue and ask you what room you live in, I shouldn't receive a blank stare, that's absolutely ridiculous.
- Know what you're talking about. Don't come to us with some vague idea of what the problem is. We can't report that. Figure out exactly what's wrong as best you can, then let us know.
- Be polite. Don't whine, but don't demand. We treat you with courtesy and expect the same in return.
- Don't reference what your friends have told you. They're wrong.
- Don't tell us we're wrong. We're not.
- If an RA tells you that you need to go somewhere else to get help, don't get upset. We aren't COSTCO, and the office isn't a full service store. We're limited.
- Recognize that we're students with our own worries and workloads, too. Being at an entire building beck and call 24/7 isn't exactly a walk in the park. We'll help you as best we can, but sometimes we don't have all the answers.
Golden Rule: You don't have to grovel to your RA like those kids. Just be polite.
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