<p>Is it possible or a good idea to be both a Resident Assistant and in a frat at the same time?</p>
<p>I don’t think it is a good idea because the code of behavior is typically very different for each, but it depends greatly on the frat for sure. You would also not be able to move into the frat house, as being an RA requires that you live in the building you are RAing for, and depending on the school you are sometimes not allowed to be out after a certain time and have to be in your room for office hours and even if you don’t have a curfew you really should be home because emergencies come up all the time at night that require an RA’s assistance. My cousin is an RA and has to be back at the dorm for duty every night by midnight, and if she gets caught at a party with alcohol even if she isn’t drinking she is in huge trouble at work. But like I said, it depends on the frat and the school’s expectations of the RA. The stereotypical frat guy doesn’t make a great RA.</p>
<p>If you’re already done with pledging, then I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being an active member of a fraternity as well as being an RA.</p>
<p>On the other hand, I think it’d be a terrible idea to pledge while being employed as an RA. I don’t think it’d be good for your mental well-being to juggle the responsibilities of taking care of the kids and getting on the good graces of the brothers. Too much stuff, too little time.</p>
<p>I think it’s a horrible idea, mostly because of time. Being an RA takes up so much time, at least at my school. The number of hours they put in to their job from weekly+ meetings, events, paperwork, monitoring, office hours, being available whenever, etc is astounding. I almost think they should be paid more. Add in frat activities (which I assume there are plenty of), you’ll have very little time to even study. I don’t know how my RA does it just being an RA. I may, however, be overestimating the amount of time one normally dedicates to their frat.</p>
<p>And the RA’s at my school can be fired for being drunk while around residents, even if over 21. There’s a very strict policy of the RA’s not drinking and just exhibiting general “model” behavior.</p>
<p>My RA was in a frat and it was fine, there’s no problems with it.</p>
<p>Yes, you can do it, and I know several RA’s who do it. I am an RA and just in general if you use common sense you will be fine.</p>
<p>
I think that is very judgmental, I know several great RA’s who are in fraternities/sororities.</p>
<p>I said the STEREOTYPICAL frat guy, not ALL frat guys. Way to go.</p>
<p>Grades will suffer if one were to sing up for RA-job AND pledge a frat.</p>
<p>I just started my RA job a few weeks ago. Last year, we had one RA who was also in a frat. While he made it through the year without getting into trouble (AFAIK), he wasn’t rehired for this year, most likely because it was difficult do his job well due to the frat’s time committments.</p>