The Importance Of Being A Resident Advisor

A collaboration of community, cultural awareness, leadership skills and peer helping skills are some of the traits necessary to be a successful Resident Advisor. During the Leadership Workshop, I learned new methods of improving all areas that have changed my outlook on what it takes to be an RA. I will carry all my experiences and the material I have learned in the workshop and use the knowledge I gained whenever necessary. A community is the feeling of togetherness felt in a setting with a group of people who share similar characteristics. Living in Scott Hall my freshman year of college, shaped my view of community quickly. Going to organized events, socializing in common areas and interacting with my Resident Advisors gave me an ideal

Becoming a leader can be achieved by all not just a selective group. Consequently, it is impactful to be a positive role model because they are influential people that others can look up to. Resident Advisors set the standard of a residence hall. During my freshman year, I had the pleasure of having Brittany as my Resident Advisor. At the first hall meeting Brittany set the tone for the new semester, she came off as resourceful, kind and established boundaries early. Moreover, she expected us to be respectful of her and others during our time in Scott Hall. Brittany is an example of why it is significant to be a positive reminder among residents and campus peers. Positivity, transparency, and flexibility are a few leadership skills that are necessary to be an effective RA. There is no perfect Resident Advisor but those are an example of traits that help. Using past experiences and observation of strong leadership styles a combination of those traits produces optimal results and form better

During the sessions, I realized that my strengths are providing the appropriate amount of verbal and nonverbal signals to the other participant during the conversation. Something that I could work towards is becoming a better listener when the subject matter might not interest me. It is easy to stay engaged in a conversation that strikes interest, but harder to do the same when it might not be as appealing. Living in a shared space with someone I wasn’t familiar with was a learning experience. Having that occurrence has prepared me to be comfortable with managing conflicts. Even though I had the privilege to live alongside another person there will be situations where I am not as skilled despite previous experiences. In preparation, I can continue to grow in this area by practicing my listening skills and understanding that each resident is different. Therefore, different methods of action should take place, and knowing the appropriate places to refer someone is another way I can continue to grow. After taking the assessment on personal conflict management styles I learned more about how I deal with conflict. I learned that I am more likely to look past differences to save the relationship and I would opt for a calmer approach to conflicts when I notice there a difference between me and another individual. I am comfortable with managing