One of the hardest on-campus jobs is that of a Resident Assistant (RA). The duties are very demanding and multifaceted and RAs are often tasked with the crucial job of acting as important nodes in the residential network to establish a sense of community and ensure the residents’ welfare. However, time and again, they are misunderstood and even taken for granted as their contributions go by unnoticed. At the same time, residents might have formed negative perceptions of RAs due to common myths that surround the RAs. So today we invite 6 awesome RAs from different residences (PGPR, UTown Residence and Kuok Foundation House) to debunk the most common misconceptions that people might have about RAs, by stating what the truth is and hopefully help people to gain a more comprehensive understanding about our unsung heroes!!
(L – R: Suen Rong, Jasmine, Li Yang, Zhi Xin, Hou Liang, Wang Jun)
Myth 1: You only apply to become an RA for free accommodation.
The Truth Is…
Jasmine: Believe it or not, free accommodation was never the top reason that motivated me to become an RA! My motivation was simply to get to know more people living around me and being an RA not only allows me to interact with others but also to extend a helping hand to those in need whenever.
Suen Rong: I applied for this position because I was inspired by the care and concern my RAs had for me during my time at a boarding school in high school. The influence they had on me was immense and I treat them like my role models. As an RA, I hope to influence my residents in the same way so that they can step up and take on this very fulfilling role as well.
Myth 2: RAs receive all the perks and little pitfalls
The Truth Is…
Zhi Xin: Everything comes with a price and being an RA is no exception. While I’m thankful for the great experience, I cannot deny that a lot of efforts have to be put into planning, publicizing and carrying out events in the residences. Besides, waking up in the middle of the night to attend to urgent residents’ requests is a common experience among RAs. Therefore, the amount of “perks” received is actually proportional to the ‘pitfalls’ faced.
Wang Jun: The greatest sacrifice would be the lesser time spent with my family. I used to spend all my holidays with my parents but with the limited RA leave, I am not able to do so now. But I guess this teaches me to be more independent and the great friendships I form here more than make up for it J
Myth 3: Anyone can become an RA.
The Truth Is…
Li Yang: The role of RA requires someone to be proactive, sensitive, and equipped with good interpersonal and communication skills. The job of RA is not a walk in the park. At times it can be very time consuming and tiring, hence time and stress management are essential as well. After all, how can a stressed out RA take good care of their residents?
Hou Liang: However enticing becoming an RA might sound, this position may not suit everyone. Patience is truly essential and it’s also important for a potential RA to be a people person because you’re going to interact with a lot of different people. Creativity could also be beneficial as an RA when it comes to event planning.
Myth 4: RAs do not have to go through any training process
The Truth is…
Wang Jun: Absolutely false! Right from the start, before we assume our roles as RAs, Residential Life prepares a 3-day intensive training program to equip us with essential skills like crisis management, counselling, event planning as well as first-aid.
Li Yang: The training doesn’t stop after one has become an RA. In fact, from time to time, RL will prepare workshops to continue to improve our skills. Each year we will also have an annual RA camp, where all RLs, RAs and RADs will spend 3 days together, and participating in various outdoor activities together to build team rapport.
Myth 5: All you do is bust parties or “police” the residences.
The Truth Is…
Zhi Xin: We are here to help address any residents’ concerns which may or may not involve ‘policing’ the residence. So, if you stay in one of the residences, feel free to let your RAs know if you need any help!
Jasmine: We also organize a lot of social events for our residents, such as welcome lunch, food trails, de-stress session, career workshops, festival celebrations and of course our awesome 100MIN events! These events are aimed at creating more interactions opportunities for resident’s to know each other better, and for us to get feedbacks from the residents as well!
Myth 6: RAs can’t get involved in other activities on campus
The Truth Is…
Suen Rong: Other than serving as a RA, I am also part of the executive committee of NUS Students’ Union. The skills I gained as a RA are very useful and I am very confident that they will help me to better serve the community now as well as in the future. It’s hard but doable!
Zhi Xin: I was doing a 6-month internship while being an RA at the same time. Some other RAs are EXCO member of their CCAs as well. Like Suen Rong says, it’s no easy feat but it can be done, as long as you can manage the time (and stress) well!
Myth 7: RAs can make mistakes or carry out their duties poorly and still get away with it
The Truth Is…
Hou Liang: RAs always work in a team. Our performance will be evaluated by our fellow RA friends and RADs (Resident Advisor). We conduct stringent peer reviews every semester to determine whether an individual is suitable to continue his/her RA term. During our evaluation session with our RADs, our performance will be further reviewed. Just like a job, there really is no way you can get away with it if you are underperforming for an extended period of time. I’m not sure how this myth even came about!
