Rosana Liang ’13: Inside Life as an RA

Moving from a parent’s home to a college dorm can be an overwhelming transition for many UCSB Freshmen.  Not only are students suddenly making their own rules and curfews, but they are also living a completely new lifestyle.  The Resident Assistants at UCSB work to ease this transition, while also serving as a role model and enforcer for their residents.  This week, HerCampus UCSB had a chance to talk to Rosana Liang about her experiences as a Manzanita RA for the 2010-2011 school year.

HerCampus: What made you want to apply to be an RA?
Rosana: Growing up with two siblings, I have come to really appreciate living and learning with others. And being an RA is just that. I’m definitely nowhere near perfect, but I enjoy acting as a role model and also appreciate the opportunity to further evolve as a person through having shared experiences with the 40 plus people I’m living with.
 
HerCampus: How did the RA process work?
Rosana: The hiring process was pretty lengthy and nerve-racking. It involved an application and three separate interview sessions. To be honest, I’d say the most difficult part of it all was probably enduring the waiting periods between each step of the process.
 
HerCampus: What is your favorite part about your residents?
Rosana: I know this is going to sound extremely generic, but I love that all my residents are so different from each other. They each have something unique to offer and a variety of exciting experiences to share. I have genuinely enjoyed getting to know each and every one of them.
 
HerCampus: What is the craziest thing that has happened to you as an RA?
Rosana: I’m not sure if this is the absolute craziest thing that has happened to me as an RA, but it was definitely memorable, a little weird, and kind of funny. One night while working at the front desk (which is part of my job as an RA), I got a call from one of my residents saying that there had been a strange man from another building staring into his room for a few hours. My resident seemed really freaked out and made the whole situation out to be a pretty big and scary deal. So, I fearfully ventured on over to the building in which the “man” had been seen, and it turned out that it was just a silhouette of a television atop a dresser. It was hilarious and I felt stupid for stressing over it.
 
HerCampus: After being an RA for a year, what are three pieces of advice you’d offer to freshmen living in the dorms?
Rosana: Three pieces of advice for freshmen living in the dorms: 1) Be open to new people and new experiences (don’t let your high school identity limit who you can become in college), 2) In general, try not to pass up rare, bonding moments with your hall mates (the relationships/friendships you make your freshmen year tend to stick for a long time, so take advantage of every opportunity you get to build them) 3) Get involved on campus (probably the best way of making your new school a place you really care about)!