<p>So the application to be an RA is due in a month, and I cannot for the life of me decide if I want to do it. I guess I'll just hash out a pro-con list and then people can give their input.</p>
<p>Pros:
-Living on campus
-I would really enjoy orienting new students to campus life
-Free meal plan and housing
-Single room</p>
<p>Cons:
-A very poor paying job if you consider number of hours worked
-Being on call and having to do rounds (ie. CANNOT leave the dorms except for class)
-Can only do 3 hours of extracurriculars a week, and it must be approved
-No class after 5 pm
-Don't get to pick my dorm; may be very far from friends or live in a very crappy dorm
-Won't know if I get the job until end of Feb., so I need to have a backup plan (and I doubt many people will be cool with me saying "I probably can't live with you but you need to hold a spot for me.")
-Probably won't see friends very often. I know my old RA is stuck in the dorms a lot and can't do much.</p>
<p>Really seems like I shouldn't be an RA based on this list, but it's a job I've always thought would be awesome. Has anyone here been an RA before? Would you recommend it?</p>
<p>How do you know you’d get the job? I was an RA last year, it was fun and a great experience. I think the question should be “Should I apply?” not “Should I do it?” you may be rejected. If you apply you have nothing to lose.</p>
<p>Oh, I don’t know I’ll get it. That’s why I need the back up living plan. And you’re right, I should have clarified that I’m not sure if I should apply. I believe if I do get the job it’s kind of expected I’ll take it (according to my RA from last year, but she could be wrong.) There’s also a lot of complications with applying, because if I do apply my current roommate will need to plan to live with people I don’t particularly want to live with, making it even worse if I don’t get the job. If he doesn’t do that, I’d probably have to turn the job down if I do get it. Basically, if I apply and don’t get it my living situation for next year will be significantly worse. Same with if I get it and turn it down. That’s why I want to be absolutely sure it’s a risk worth taking.</p>
<p>I’m a freshman, and applying to be RA next year. My application were due a few days ago, and I had the same concerns as you. However, many of my friends are both a RA and in a fraternity or a club. So it’s definitely doable. You just gotta manage your time, and it’s a good job if you like managing people and having a connection with your floor.</p>
<p>Thanks Tracy! I don’t think balancing being an RA and being in clubs would be a problem. However, my school has a policy that RA’s can only have three hours of time commitment outside of classes per week. That drastically limits the extracurriculars I could get involved with… In fact, I don’t know of any clubs (which I’d be remotely interested in) would require less than 4-5 hours of commitment per week.</p>
<p>Three hours max time commitment??? Holy mother… That’s ridiculous. I’m on duty once week, don’t have to stay in the building on other days (although we do have to sleep in our rooms 5/7 nights a week). I’m in ROTC, which is a bigger time commitment than school. And I like, have a life. Dear lord, that’s so restrictive. </p>
<p>I should warn you now that if you do become an RA, you’ll be selling your soul to ResLife. It’s a big time commitment. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth it.</p>
<p>Yeah at my school RAs must spend every night in their room unless they submit a request to leave. And even then I think those requests are rarely granted. It seems like my RA last year pretty much only did stuff dorm related, which is definitely not what I want my college life to be like. I think I’ve decided it wouldn’t be worth it for me personally; thanks for the info everyone!</p>