Senior Melissa Majocha loves being a Resident Assistant. The always smiling and friendly Majocha is responsible for keeping the peace and making her residents comfortable with their new surroundings. Before Majocha graduates and passes the role of RA to someone new, she discussed what it is like to be an RA.
Majocha’s interest in becoming an RA grew out of encouragement and respect for one of her former RAs.
“My RA freshman year was amazing and inspired me to do for others what she did for me. She made living away from home easier and fun and I also thought it would be a great opportunity to make lots of friends,” Majocha said. “It’s a good way to get involved on campus and it looks great on resumes. Plus you get a lot of leadership experience,” Majocha said.
To become an RA, Majocha had to prove she was right for the job. She went through a process which involved an application, a group interview called “group process”, during which applicants must complete 3 observed tasks, and a final interview.
“I’ve made a lot of good friends and learned what it takes to run a program and a lot about rules and enforcing them,” Majocha said.
However, there is a downside to being an RA.
“Some stuff I don’t want to confront but I have to. Sometimes things happen at inopportune moments. Sometimes people come to me when I want to study or have to write a paper,” Majocha said. “You’re also critically scrutinized by the school. It’s like living in a fishbowl,” she continued.
Majocha was eager to share some of the funnier experiences she has had being an RA.
“I was on duty in Irma last year and I was walking down the hall and we had written someone up for having an open container,” she recalled. “He was compliant but after we were done I went on my way and while walking I happened to look in the glass window at the end of the hall and I could see him giving me the finger behind my back through the reflection. I turned to him and said ‘Oh, really?’ and his face got really red.”
Majocha feels that being an RA has taught her to be more aware of her actions as well as her surroundings. She encourages students to apply for the position and says that new RAs can rely upon returning RAs for help.
Being an RA has changed Majocha’s college experience.
“I’m more involved in campus which gives me more control of my college experience which makes me happier,” she said. “I’ve made a lot of friendships with both peers and staff members whom I’ve learned a lot from. I’ve gotten a lot of experience in real life situations and I’ve learned real life lessons.”