Resident Advisor Research Paper

What do people think of when they hear the words “my RA”, some shudder in disgust their faces turning down as they recall a negative experience, while others smile and lift their heads remembering the positive interactions between them and their resident advisor (RA) their freshman year of college. An excellent resident advisor has a huge impact on a student’s enjoyment of living in the dorms. I hope to allow everyone to be able to have a positive first year experience in college, and especially at Western. I hope to become an RA to ensure that everyone has a positive, valuable, safe time while at college. Being a Resident Advisor for me is important and interesting because I know multiple people who have had issues with their RA, by either
One area that is people are recognizing is the knowledge and understanding of mental illness. Many people of all ages, especially in the college setting are dealing with mental illness. One in four young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 have a diagnosable mental illness. More than 25 percent of college students have been diagnosed or treated by a professional for a mental health condition within the past year according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness or NAMI. Resident Advisors double as a resource as well as a friend, someone to talk to about what is going on and why. As an RA I would not be able to actually help people, but I can be that emotional support for anyone who needs it. At home, I have always been a person that people have gravitated to when things are bothering them. I have never completely understood why, but it has been a trait that I have grown to embrace about myself and help other people, as an RA I will be able to help various residents if they ever reach out and make sure that everyone knows of the resources available to them. One mental illness, especially effecting college freshman is test anxiety. More than 28% of students have high or moderately high test anxiety. Being able to control it more and relax because you know of your resources and your ability to talk to people helps students tremendously. Another issue currently facing many college freshman, although many would not admit to it, is homesickness. For many college is the first time away from home for long periods of time. Homesickness effects people differently, personally I have only had times when I get very homesick. One weekend that was especially rough was the weekend when my grandfather passed away, although I did not know him very well, I still felt like I needed to be home to support my family. As I have always tried to make myself that