YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW: A Guide To Being A Mid-Year RA Hire

Being a Mid-Year Hire is a tough process! It won't be as bad as you think though, and here are ten tips for getting it together and impressing the rest of the RA Staff

1. Congrats!

If you’re reading this then you have been hired as an RA mid-year! You don’t know what you’re doing yet and that’s okay. Neither did we! Don’t worry it gets better, you’ll also get waaaaaaaaaay too much information! That’s okay too, just stay calm!

2. Residence Life

Residence life, as an organization, is here to help you, and there are so many people you can go to for help! The purpose of Residence Life is to create a community, and help residents feel safe and informed (that includes you too).

3. Fake it 'til you Make it!

You'll learn a lot on the go, and nobody is judging your abilities at this point! Just roll with it ;)

4. On Call? Primary?

If you’re the primary on call, and you don’t know how to handle the situation at hand, call the other RA on-call! Chances are, they’re NOT a mid-year hire and they have some good experience to offer you. P.S. It’s their Job!

5. Read the S/RA Manual!

If you have time to sit in your room and read this article… IF YOU HAVE TIME to read this article, YOU HAVE TIME TO READ THE MANUAL! It’s okay if you only read a few pages at a time. Devote 10 minutes of your day for a week and you’ll be good. We know you’re busy, but we also know that when a situation arises and you don’t know what to do…. you’ll wish you had read it.

6. REMEMBER YOUR TRAINING

"BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY TRAINING" you scream into the void. Don’t be embarrassed about your position and confusion! When you don’t know everything the returning RA’s know, utilize them. They have more training than you do and that’s okay! ASK ASK ASK

7. Links to the Big Stuff

Symplicity/Residence is where you'll manage your hall and residents https://pacificu-residence.symplicity.com/index.php/pid833677 Advocate is where you'll write Incident Reports and FYIs https://pacificu-advocate.symplicity.com/index.php/pid419090 MySchoolBuilding is where you'll submit work requests for damaged campus property https://login.myschoolbuilding.com/msb

8. Places to Know

In Clark 119 you have a mailbox, MAKE SURE TO CHECK IT, and you can use that space for homework or printing! The Resource Room in Mac has all your crafty needs, and is great for getting group work done.

9. Self Care and Integration

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PLEASE SLEEP. Also you need to eat (and it doesn’t have to be with the other RAs) Stay in tune with yourself, make new friends but mostly, go at your own pace!

10. YOU WERE HIRED FOR A REASON

You've Got This!!!

11. WE'RE HERE FOR YOU

2017's Mid Year Hires are here for your question-answering needs <3