We’re sure you’ve seen the mysterious people that you know as your RAs. You know, the ones on the posters around PGPR that you stop and look at in curiosity on your first day. And a few days into your stay you would have been notified that these are the people to look for in case of needs or any urgency. But have you ever wondered what else they do beside informing you of events or helping you solve any problem that might pop up in the middle of the night? Today we “kidnap” the very friendly RA Gia Lam from PGPR to take a look at what a normal day in the life of an RA is like!
*Disclaimer: This is a representation of how a normal day in Lam’s life looks like during this period and by no means depicts a typical day of hers. She does have more relaxed days at the start of the semester as well as more packed days nearer to an event or other intensive periods aka week 13 and finals.
1) In the morning
I never skip breakfast as I believe in starting my day on a good note. My go-to breakfast is scrambled eggs on toasted bread and some Kopi-O because which university kid doesn’t need a caffeine kick, am I right? Quick and always satisfying! If I have time (and laziness does not rule over), I try to go to the gym and work out to maintain a healthy lifestyle and encourage my residents to join me too. After which, I’ll either go for my prescheduled meetings or various classes. I try not to schedule project meetings in the evening so I can dedicate my time for my residents. Lunch time is usually spent with my friends in between lessons just to catch up and also destress a little.
2) In the afternoon
Afternoon is when things starts getting a bit busier. To start our promotional efforts for an upcoming event, I print, collect posters and paste them in various notice boards in lounges and lifts in different residences as early as possible to ensure all the residents have ample time to see and notice it. Additionally, to further publicize, I’ll drop an email to all residents to inform and invite them to take some time off their busy schedules to either interact with their fellow residents in Welcome Dinners and Destress sessions (with lots of yummy food) or 100MIN events (workshops, sports and handicraft sessions, etc). In the period leading up to the event, my day can get a tad bit more hectic as I need to coordinate with the many parties involved: vendors, food caterers, AVPA (Audio, Visual and Public Address) office and team to make sure everything is in place and running smoothly for the event. If I still have any pockets of time, I try to use it to prepare materials for my meetings with my RA team later on.
3) In the evening
First things first, DINNER! Because who can function on an empty stomach? When we can all coordinate our schedules, my RA team and I will grab dinner together and brace ourselves for the intensive meetings to come. *Deep breath*.
To give you a rough idea of what our meetings usually focus on; at the beginning of the semester, we carve out a general timeline of potential events and designate the respective project leaders. After which, we come up with proposals for events to be vetted by OSA. As the semester progresses, the meetings will focus more on the particular event and its details. We also try to come up with innovative ways to engage and interest the residents to partake in more residential events. Meetings with my RA team usually last around 3 to 4 hours straight, which is pretty draining at times but my RAD (Resident Advisor) Dr Patrick Tan (Hi Patrick if you’re reading!) never fails to provide supper (which is admittedly the quickest way to our hearts!). He also takes the chance to share his life experiences with us. One of the most memorable liners for me has been that every experience in our life now will impact who we will become in one way or another. I always leave the meetings full and very, very inspired.
The rest of the night is usually spent on catching up on reading or occasionally dealing with residents’ queries or any issues they face. Before I know it, it’s time to call it a day and reunite with my bed.
While my day can get a bit hectic, I appreciate all the perks that come with being an RA: getting to know lots of amazing yet humble RAs and RADs, interacting with residents and providing emotional support when they need it most. Not to mention, I get to plan a bunch of fun and enriching events for them to enjoy – fun for them and fun for me too! Most importantly, I guess being an RA really fulfills my hope to make a difference whenever I might go!
