Meet Taylor Champlin – a second year Liberal Studies major with a concentration in Child Development from Hanford, CA. Taylor may seem like your typical girl-next-door, but this RA/LibRAT is caring and full of ambition! Aside from juggling her classes and two jobs, this girl spends her free time playing sports and being crafty.
What’s the most difficult part of being an RA?
I would say that the most difficult part, though I think I have mastered it by this quarter is time-management. Just because I had no free time with my library job and this job and classes, so I had to work really hard to manage my time well. But honestly, that’s the hardest part. But it’s also hard seeing people making bad choices and getting hurt. But I’m happy to help people learn from their decisions.
What would you say is the most rewarding part of being an RA?
Getting to see everyone grow! Watching all the residents, even if they’re not on my wing, but live down the hall or in Muir. It’s fun seeing what everyone plans on doing next year. I’ve had more than an hour-long conversation with some residents that are going through hard times. It’s just great being able to be here for the residents and anybody else that really needs help. That’s pretty rewarding.
When did you decide that you wanted to be an RA?
You know, I don’t really remember how I found out about it; I just remember talking to my RA, George Kalu back when I lived in Muir. I was on the first floor and he was awesome… He was just the happiest guy ever! And I asked him how being an RA was, and I just decided to apply over winter break of last year. I spent a lot of time reading over the job description until I decided that yes, I really wanted to do this!
Has your experience as an RA influenced your life in any way? How?
Yes! I honestly think I’ve changed as a person. I feel like I’ve become a better person, I guess you can say. I try my best to see from others’ perspectives so much more than before. I feel like I understand that every single person is going through his or her own struggle. Each person has their own things going on in their minds and I like that I think about that so much. I’m not going to be an RA next year, so I’m really going to miss that. It was a hard decision deciding whether or not I wanted to come back, but I can say that the experience made me more mindful, and more patient for sure.
What kind of work do you do working as a LibRAT (Library Research Assistant Technician) at the library?
I do a little customer service. I sit back on the first floor near the elevators and I basically help students with research. They also come to me saying, “I’ve never been here before. What do I do?” and then I help them with that. I help people with their research for their papers, speeches, papers and any other thing they need in the library. I direct them to where they should go.
Do you have any tips for stress and time-management?
Yes, I love giving tips for this! I’m old-fashioned I guess you can say, but I have a full-on 8½ by 11 page notebook/binder/planner. Most people try to use Google Calendars and stuff but I literally write down every little commitment I have. I definitely list out everything. I have a to-do list and prioritize everything like crazy. I’m the type of person that has to get everything done. My suggestions are to prioritize and plan.
What are a few things that are still on your bucket-list to do around SLO?
I know that it might sound crazy, but I want to skydive in Pismo before I graduate! I want to go to every single class that the Rec Center has to offer, and I also want to go on a Poly Escapes trip or at least use their equipment that they rent out. I love camping and I also want to get a hammock!
Tell me more about some of your hobbies!
I’ve made all of my high school t-shirts and all of my elementary school t-shirts and my sports jerseys into quilts. I have a twin-sized jersey quilt and a full-sized high school T-shirt quilt. I also like to paint canvases sometimes and I’ve been trying to get into yoga. So we’ll see how that goes…
When did you get into scrapbooking and quilting?
Well, I’ve always been artistic I guess you can say! Whenever I used to go up to my grandma’s house on my dad’s side, she would be teaching me to sew little pillows or I would make little scrapbook-type of things with my cousins. It was fun! I guess my grandma was the one who encouraged me to be crafty. My Champlin side of the family is really artistic so I kind of get it from them! I made my high school scrapbook during the last month of my senior year because I wanted to have my whole life in one scrapbook before I left for college.
Did you do any other scrapbooks before that one?
Whenever I was going through all my old storage, I found a lot of scrapbooks that were half-done with team pictures of sports and some of my hobbies that I’ve done. I play intermural softball and sometimes I play soccer too.
Finally, if you could have any weird superpower, what would it be?
Not mind reading… mind reading would probably freak me out. I know that this is so cliché, but I would love to have teleportation abilities and just be able to get wherever I needed to be because I would have so much more time on my hands if I could do that!