Most college students want a job for one simple reason: money. That elusive green stuff is a must-have when you’re stuck between the demands of tuition, car and for-fun expenses.
But while you’re making money, you may as well have a good time at it. And it wouldn’t be bad to learn a thing or two along the way. That’s where I come in.
I’m here to tell you about the best job on campus. No matter your major, personality or skill set, this job will make you a better person, provide a little fun, and, yes, give you some money along the way. I’ve seen it benefit dozens of students that I know here at Grove City College.
This job is the Resident Assistant position.
Resident Assistants (RAs) are often thought of as caretakers of a set of students’ living situations. But at GCC there is so much more to this job:
You get paid to have a good time.
The entire goal of being an RA is to build community on a residence hall. For me, that has involved planning times to go hiking, see movies and hang out together. I’ve turned my room into a place for late-night conversations and group games and turned a lot of the excursions and adventures that I would have done anyway into official programs for the hall. In short, I’ve been doing my job by simply having fun.
Leadership training.
It’s true, being an RA is not all fun and games. You have to know how to deal with people at their best and at their worst. But this is a good thing in disguise. See, down the road, you’re probably going to have to deal with a squabbling family, neighbors, coworkers, relatives and the like. The Resident Directors make sure to train each RA with the skills necessary to work through conflict and to influence in a positive way.
Great community.
I work with a fantastic team. Getting to know these guys, share ideas with them, and go on retreats together has been the best part of the job.
You may not think you’re the type, but with the training and support provided, I’m certain the RA position will be one of the best things that has happened to you at college.
