My RA Essay Question Responses

1. A Resident Assistant is a jack-of-all-trades. They are a leader, a friend, a counselor, and an authority figure, among other job responsibilities. As a director, an RA organizes events for his residents to attend, and models good behavior for all. As a companion, an RA befriends his residents, chills out with them, and takes an interest in their lives. As a mentor, an RA guides and advises his residents in matters of personal concern. As a disciplinarian, an RA informs his residents of the rules, warns them if they are breaking said rules, and then takes punitive measures to correct behavior. All together, an RA makes the college a safer, happier, and healthier place to live.

2. My future will be vastly improved from the experience of being an RA. I will go through personal transformation and become a fuller, deeper, and better-rounded individual. I will better be able to influence the wider world for good because of the practice I obtained from forming harmony among my floor.

I look forward to acquiring multiple skills. Through organizing floor activities and coordinating schedules of residents so that they are able to attend said events, I hope to learn organizational and time management abilities. While directing the event, I will learn interpersonal skills, as I work to integrate the residents into a close-knit community. In this process of integration, I will discover the talent of truly listening and effectively speaking. All of these talents will be used in every aspects of life, from the boardroom to the courtroom, from living with my family to interacting with colleagues.

3. Programming is one of the main components of being an RA, and thus takes a central role in all aspects of the job. Activities are created in order to expand the horizons of residents and give them something worthwhile to participate in. I would start the programming schedule by talking to my residents to see what types of recreation and volunteer services they would enjoy participating in. Activities should be based on the desires of the residents, and not on the whims of the RA. As the coordinator, I would suggest events and brainstorm ideas with the residents.

Effective activities of which I am aware or dream of doing include food and movies, athletic event attendance, working at a soup kitchen, burning calories by playing an outdoor sport, and competing in a board or card game tournament, among other limitless possibilities.

As a former resident of Ross Heintzkill, I would love to carry on the tradition of having NerfGun wars throughout the building, pending, of course, on approval.

I hope residents would take away the values of good-clean fun, serving those who need help, and interacting with others in constructive and meaningful ways.

4. Ripon College students struggle with the demands and pressures of everyday life, creating stress and anxiety. These negative emotions and physical reactions must be acknowledged and treated accordingly. I would work with my residents to instill in them the skills necessary to face life with a sense of serenity. Relaxation techniques, personal management ideas, and talk therapy would be used to calm those who are on edge. I would encourage residents to confront their stressors instead of trying to avoid them, and I would support them in areas in which they are over-extended. If they are struggling with math homework, I would help arrange for them to get a tutor or go with them to the CLC.