Tips for the first six weeks!

Hello!

So, you're an RA, or maybe you want to be. Well, I'm glad you're here!

The first 6 weeks of your RA job are probably the most important weeks in the entire school year. I say this because everything you do these first few weeks MUST be intentional. Creating community, having conversations, dealing with policy issues, and beyond - they all have to be intentional these first few weeks because this is the first chance for you to really get to know your residents, lay down the foundation for an amazing year, and showcase how you want your community to be like.

So, as someone who has been an RA for the last three years, I'm excited to share tips and tricks for your first six weeks on the job.

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- Keep your bedroom door open! Be available for all of your residents, and try to be home more often than not.

- Say hello to all of your residents in the hall, as well as when you see them outside your hall! It's important for your residents to feel like they can approach you in any situation, anywhere. Including when you're hanging out on campus with your friends.

- Make sure your residents know when you're on duty, how they can contact you, and where your bedroom is! (It's super easy to create little cards to give to your residents that list your email, phone number, or any other way they can contact you).

- Work on memorizing all of your resident's names and their room numbers! Test yourself to make sure you really know which resident lives where, and put faces to names.

- Have meaningful, intentional conversations. These first few weeks, you'll probably be leading the conversation in most instances, because your residents may feel awkward around new people.

- Follow up with your residents on how their first week went, or how their first day of classes went. It's important to start building that relationship! The more you talk to them, the more they'll get use to your presence.

- Create community standards with your residents. The first hall meeting, you should be creating these standards with your residents to make sure they feel comfortable in their new home.

- Don't be afraid to knock on doors. If you don't see residents, or if they don't keep their doors open, knock. Knock, say hello, and repeat. The more you make it a normal habit, the more they get used to it.

- Find out what your residents are into, and help them plan fun activities. Maybe they like movies, or board games, and you are a great person to plan impromptu events that can get residents out of their bedrooms and into common spaces with other residents.

- Don't be afraid to crack down if residents are not following policy. It's better to be firm with them in the beginning, then give them slack later in the year. Giving them free passes at the beginning of the year makes it harder to report them later if they're breaking policy.

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The first 6 weeks can be tricky for sure, but don't worry about it! As long as you're available, friendly, and obviously interested in getting to know your residents, you'll do fine! The first 6 weeks should be when you meet your residents, set boundaries, and figure out what you want your community to look like.