Graduate Housing
Life as an RA (Lizzy C.)
Before starting graduate school, I was worried about the same thing most graduate students worry about – money. When I considered the cost of tuition, housing, food, and making sure I had enough money left over for a social life, I knew there was no way I would be able to afford everything. So, you can imagine how excited I was when I discovered that Boston University allows graduate students to be Resident Assistants (RAs) in underclassmen dorms, covering the housing and food costs!
To break it down, there are actually two different RA positions available to graduate students. The first is the traditional RA position when graduate students (as well as undergraduate students) are in charge of a group of about 30 undergraduates who live in their area. The second is the Graduate Resident Assistant (GRA) position when graduate students are in charge of a building of students, as well as the RAs.
The Job
There are several different types of dorms at BU including singles and doubles on a shared hallway, apartments, and suites. When I applied to be a traditional RA, I was placed in one of the freshmen dorms comprised of singles and doubles. At first I was nervous because I didn’t actually know that much about BU and the responsibilities of the position were unlike anything I had ever done before! However, staff training prepared me well and my fellow RAs are a great support system.
In addition to being an ongoing resource for the students on my hall, I hold monthly meetings, plan monthly events, and serve in the “on call” rotation about 12 days a semester. Being “on call” means that I am in the building and available for students after hours when the office is not open (for weekend “on call” shifts, I am in the building for a full 24 hours and for weekday “on call” shifts I am in the building from 5:00pm to 9:00am). Also, all RAs are required to be free on Wednesday evenings for a staff meeting with all the RAs in their building.
The Perks
When I first found out I was accepted to be an RA, I was really excited about the opportunity. However, I was also worried that as a busy graduate student I would not be able to fulfill all the obligations. Boy, was I wrong! Yes, I do have to make sure that I plan my time carefully, but it honestly has been very feasible to make my schedule work. I have loved getting to know my students, leaving birthday notes on their doors, and chatting with them about everything from dating to schoolwork. As a social work student, it is also great practice for my field. The perks are also hard to beat: I do not have to pay for housing or food, my commute to school is only a 15-minute walk, and I have formed close friendships with the other RAs. Being an RA has made my BU experience much more meaningful, helping me to truly feel like I am part of a community.