1. How do I become aResident Assistant?

2. Carving out your Character Character Role Modeling Leadership and Followership Being a Team Player 3. Your values help define you as a leaderCharacter and as a person. Character is who youare and how you will act even when noone is watching.A Person ofCharacter Works Consider the following:Towards Being Good intentions alone dont cut itConsiderate You need to actHumane Let your values be your guideAwareReliable Its the Big AND the Little things.Active As an RA your character is probably underCulturally sensitive more scrutiny than the average student. What is your character saying about you?Team-focusedEffectiveRespectful 4. Residents will look to you toRole Modelingestablish what is acceptable and where the boundaries are.Things to consider when as you put your best foot forward: Attitude Body LanguageHow do you represent your staff? Appropriate Messages Confident Decision-making speak Questionable Behaviors act communicate Respect goof off act responsibly tell jokes interact with others 5. Leadership and FollowershipA true leader knows that it is important for others to share in leadership rolesin order to build up new leaders for tomorrow. As RAs you dont try to misuse or overextend your authority, your talents, or positions.How to Diffuse Conflict You should not be Set firm ground rules the main attraction insist on civil languageShow people how Allow no personal attacks onto resolve their ownname callingconflicts ratherthan doing it for Make your intentions &expectation clear right from thethemstart.Youre there to Stop offending parties rightaway dont let them drag theshow them the waygroup downYour role involvesPraise positive behavior to sendfacilitatinga clear message.connections between Good leaders were first great followers. DonWardpeople and 6. Being a Team PlayerDevelop a Team Supreme! Positive approach will gain respect Discuss strengths and weaknesses Create Team Traditions Avoid Cliques Open lines of Communication Support one Another Maintain a professional AttitudeWorking with Supervisors!!!Get comfortable with this Be Politeperson, even when it comes tosharing feedback. You willhave a lot of personal time withyour Community Coordinator.Its okay to ask questions. 7. Being Yourself Positive Institutional Rep Wellness Priority, Organization, and TimeManagement Communication 8. Positive Institutional Rep Being an RA can be a 24/7 job. You serve as campus role models and an institutional representative. But can you still be you? Dealing with your Celebrity StatusAs an RA you are a Role Model.You are on display regardless ofwhether you are in yourcommunity, walking to class, or out onthe town. As exciting as the attention is,there are always drawbacks. You canbecome a discussion oncampus, become the campus news, orapart of the paparazzos (residents)new attraction.. They are everywhere! 9. Wellness Staying Well on and off the job Focus on the health of your mind, body, and spirit. Eating Sleeping Making time for important things Sleep Savvy What is the ideal amount of sleep you need? Overcompensate Routine Power Nap Nutritional Negligence What do you eat Skipping meals Water That Move around Magic Exercise Staying Active Let Your Spirit Soar Taking Quiet time for you 10. Priorities, Organization and TimeManagement Staying Organized Separate yourManaging PrioritiesPersonal/Professio nal Space Make Lists Declutter Update Lists Identify RealPriorities Date List Items Know your Limits 11. CommunicationThe Written Word Avoid the PassiveVoiceNon-Verbal Be ConciseCommunication Be Specific Crossed arms = Closed off to what is Write like you speak being said Leaning Forward= interned in what the other person is saying Heavy sighs = Discontented or bored Smiling = Sends positive support Squirming = Cored or uncomfortable with the topic Nodding = Listening and engaged 12. Building Community Connecting with your residents Culture of Civility Programming and Event Management 13. Connecting with yourResidents Before you can plunge into the deep stuff you need to connect with residents on the most basic level.Link people with similar interestsMake academic connectionsLook out for lonersAs the RA, you dont always have to be in thelimelight, leading students every step of the way.Sometimes your most important role is that offacilitator where you facilitate the beginning ofrelationships and connections between students.Sometimes they just need that little nudge that youprovide! 14. Culture and Civility Civility 1: formal or perfunctory politeness 2: the act of showing regard for other Source: http:/dict.die.net/civility/ Create welcomingcommunities Gossip Can Poison! Use inclusivedecorations While gossip forms one of Assess restrictingthe oldest and (still) thefacilitiesmost common means ofspreading and sharing Do not assumeinformation, it also has a Be humanreputation for the Address slurs introduction of errors and Create open other variations into thecommunities information thus 15. Programming and EventManagement Know your Audience Group Brainstorming Surveys Focus groupsHow to get started Programming:1. Know what your budget is2. Format a timeline3. Make your Publicity4. The Small Stuff5. Follow up 16. Being Inclusive Welcoming Diversity and Social Justice 17. Be clear about expectationsWelcoming Be consistent Recognize achievements, big and small Keep people informed Maintain a positive attitudeAs the RA it is your Hold people accountablejob to buildcommunity. This can Confront in private when possiblebe an exciting and Be a good Listenersometimes dauntingtask. So dig in and Be Welcoming to people from a variety ofget started! backgrounds Welcome questions Dont pass judgment on mistakes Admit your own mistakes Incorporate their suggestions, criticisms and ideas Give Feedback Share why you do things they way you do them Never lose sight that students are people first 18. Diversity and Social JusticeTHE BIG SIX!Ethnicity: Students may look like one ethnicity but identify as another or more , than one ethnicity.Age: Some residents may be returning to college after a leave or just startingout.Spirituality: Be aware of your words and what assumptions they make.Ability: Abilities range from emotional or psychological to physical. Studentsmay have family and friends who are differently-abled. Watch words likeretarded or crippleSocic-Economic Status: Think about finances when determining group experiences. 19. Learning from Mistakes Its okay to be wrong 20. Its okay to be wrong Character cannot bedeveloped in easeand quiet. Onlythrough experienceAdmitting when youre wrong not onlyof trial and sufferingdemonstrates human fallibility, itcan the soul beadmits a willingness to hold yourself,strengthened, ambitias well as your fellow groupon inspired, andmembers, to certain standards.success achieved- Helen Keller As an RA when you admit to beingwrong it creates a more comfortableclimate for residents and it reminds RESthem its okay to take a risk. LIFE You must never feel badly about making misstates, as long as you take the trouble to learn from them. For your often learn more by being wrong for the right reasons than you do by being right for the wrong reasons.- Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth