RA Class Week 9

Hate crimes are something I just can’t understand. I cannot fathom why people are so determined to bring negativity to the world. I cannot fathom why people exemplify the differences within others. I cannot fathom why we hate.

In this world full of variety and difference, everyone seems to be of a different age, race, ethnicity, gender, color, size, shape, orientation, everything. Everyone’s different and no two people are alike. If this is the case, then why are people so obsessed with finding similarities and discriminating against those who are different? Why is it that people must find reasons to dislike others, people they often have never even met? I simply cannot understand this fact.

RA Class Week 8

It’s interesting how a resident assistant is supposed to be a variety of different characters all within one person. Resident assistants are expected to be students, employees, teachers, mentors, counselors, guides, assistants, and even friends at times. They are meant to discipline, educate, assist, and guide. Within this one position, a multitude of expectations emerges and can sometimes become confusing or overwhelming. One particular expectation is that to counsel.
Many resident assistants believe that it is their job to counsel their residents. While this may be true to some extent, resident assistants are not qualified or expected to fully counsel someone like a trained and professional counselor would. Resident assistants are not in a position to analyze and diagnose their residents, but they are in a position to listen, help, and refer.

RA Class Week 7

When leading others and acting as a role model, it is important to show proper citizenship including servant leadership and volunteerism. When volunteering, one sacrifices his own time and talents for charitable, educational, and worthwhile reasons. Donating one’s time and energy for the benefit of others is a powerful way to show others how to give to their community and become an aid to society. Participating in community service also shows this, working for the public rather than monetary compensation. Voluntary work and community service are both vital components that make up a strong leader and role model that each resident assistant should strive to be.

RA Class Week 6

I will have to admit, this class is starting to wear down on me and make me nervous after these past few weeks. The class is turning out to be more difficult than I was told, which is not exactly a problem because classes are supposed to be challenging to enable one to learn and grow from them, but I was informed that this class was going to be easy-going in order to ease new resident assistants into their first semester on the job, and so far, this is not the case. Talking with returning resident assistants, I have found that the class has actually changed a great deal from previous years and has been made more difficult in the process.

RA Class Week 5

Conflict confrontation is thankfully a situation that I have not had to deal with thus far. So far in my adventures of being a learning community resident assistant, I have not had to directly confront a conflict or interfere with an escalating situation. I am thankful for this fact and feel lucky, believing it to be a good thing that I have not come across serious situations like that yet. Hopefully, I will never have to confront a conflict because hopefully there won’t be any within my floor or within my residence hall. If I ever do need to confront a conflict, I must be prepared and knowledgeable, a fact that makes me nervous and worrisome about confronting such problems.

RA Class Week 4

The image of the Resident Assistant is a complicated one. Not only are resident assistants supposed to get to know their residents, learning about them and becoming close friends with them, but they are also expected to act as resources, giving information, consoling, and helping in any way they can. They are also burdened with the responsibility of enforcing rules and ensuring fairness and equality. Although some of these expectations and responsibilities may seem to contradict each other, all must be combined to create the ideal resident assistant.

RA Class Week 3

This week in class, the importance of being flexible and able to change was emphasized as we were asked to cooperate and adjust to changes within the class itself and within our jobs. Being flexible is a valuable skill as it allows one to function in a variety of situations without complications. Flexibility enables one to interact and adjust to situations in order to best meet requirements and fulfill needs. This skill was clearly demonstrated in class when issues about the volunteer experience were brought up. Evaluating the situation and adjusting to the individual needs of the students and the class as the whole my instructor adjusted the assignment in order to enhance the class and improve the experience of the students. This trait is not only respectable, but also highly appreciated. I thank him for possessing this trait, and am glad to have others around me who bear this skill.