Residence assistants - Dalhousie School of Biomedical Engineering ...

“ first RA to help her meet people and
who
develop friendships. Now, Sunmonu’s an
RA – for the second year – supporting 29
young women in Old Eddy.
“My first year was hard, I won’t lie,”
says Sunmonu, 21. “You encounter a lot of
things you don’t expect – no matter how
much training you have. It’s a big responsibility.
When people ask you questions, it
suddenly hits you – the self-doubt. Can I
really do this? But we have training, and
when people see that you’re really trying
to help, it makes a difference.”
Camaraderie among RAs relieves job
stress. At regular meetings, they share
experiences and receive support from university
staff. Outgoing personalities and
mature attitudes are a benefit for RAs; so
is time management.
“You have to be an organized per-
son,” insists Read, who squeezed in thesis
writing between classes and floor duties.
As part of Sunmonu’s coping strategy,
she divided desk drawers between personal
items and RA papers, kept her room
immaculately neat (“I have to know where
things are quickly.”) and meticulously
recorded appointments and deadlines.
“You can’t leave things to the last minute,”
she warns. “You can’t say, ‘Oh, I have an
exam tomorrow so I won’t study till
tonight.’ Maybe between now and tomorrow,
you’ll have to be in the emergency
room with someone for all hours of the
night. It’s happened to me.”
Given the demands, stress and time
commitment facing an RA, why do students
accept the responsibility?
“I love my job. It’s a leadership role,
and you get to help people,” says Read,
Brandi Read
”
turned down a chance to live offcampus
with friends last year. As an RA,
even saying goodbye brings rewards.
“Some people will be like, ‘Yep, thanks, see
ya.’ Others are like, ‘Don’t ever want to see
ya again.’ Then there are others – the ones
who will personally thank you, the ones
who will say they appreciate it that you
took the time to listen.”
For Sunmonu, being a residence
assistant provides valuable life experience.
“To be an RA, you have to do it with
your heart, and then some. You don’t do it
for the honorarium. It’s the friendships,
and the memories . . .The best preparation
for life is here. You get to meet a lot of different
people, with a lot of different temperaments,
and you learn to live with others.
You find a strength that you never
thought you had.” dal
You get to meet a lot of different people, with a lot of different
temperaments, and you learn to live with others. You find a
strength that you never thought you had
spring 2002 11