Being an RA is about creating a space and community that residents can feel they belong to. Creating a place that feels like home is a rather large task, but it is exactly what the U Share community aims for.
As a student who has experienced and interacted with many different environments, I have learned that the people around us shape our experiences and who we are. Moving into a new community can be a mixture of excitement and fear, but the presence of someone approachable, understanding, and supportive can make all the difference. In trying to become this kind of “someone,” I wanted to be an RA.
Most of my experience back home has centered around creating communities and spaces for people to connect. At my home university, I served on SpiderBoard and as an Orientation Advisor — two roles that focused heavily on campus programming, welcoming new students, and watching people create friendships and find their place. Through these experiences, I discovered that I enjoy watching others have a good time. Whether it is organizing events, making introductions, or checking in on someone who is having a rough day, I strive to create an environment where people know they have a support system to rely on.
One of the things that drew me to U Share compared to other housing arrangements was that it came with a “community,” which is different from stand-alone housing or apartments. Some of my favorite memories before becoming an RA were sharing endless lemon sours, making day trips to different places, enjoying the cherry blossoms as a group, or a spur-of-the-moment rooftop barbecue. Each event is enjoyable on its own, but it is the connections that build through shared experiences.
One comment from residents, myself included, that always sticks with me is, “It feels like I’ve been here longer than I actually have.” One of the strongest signs of a successful community is when people quickly find friends, routines, and a sense of belonging — when a new place stops feeling unfamiliar and starts to feel closer to home. Helping to create that feeling is one of the most rewarding parts, and one of the fundamental goals, of being an RA.
I have always been drawn to meeting people from different backgrounds. At home, many of my friends are international students, and that goes hand in hand with my interest in traveling, learning about the broader world, and hearing people’s stories. Every person arrives with a unique perspective and experience, and the RA position feels like a natural extension of those interests, because it allows me to connect with people pursuing similar experiences while helping them build connections of their own.
As an RA, I hope to continue creating a welcoming environment where residents feel comfortable being themselves, trying new things, and building connections with others — helping people find experiences and friendships they would not have found otherwise, and creating a community where everyone feels they belong and has a stake in it. If I can make that kind of impact as an RA, the experience will be wholly worthwhile.
Curious about the RA experience? Learn more on the Resident Assistant page.
