Kaylie Wang is an English sophomore and opinion columnist for Mustang News. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang Media Group.
Housing in SLO is notorious for filling up quickly, so whether you are a first-year in the dorms or a continuing student at Poly Canyon Village, you may need to find off-campus housing fast. Fret not, my friends – this column, “The Housing Hunt,” will be your guide for navigating the housing search so we can sign those leases and ease those worries together.
Residential advisors benefit from free on-campus housing and a dining plan. This job is a great way to secure an entire room to yourself for no cost, while being able to connect with other students and shape the campus community.
But make no mistake: being an RA is an important job with time commitment and responsibilities that should be taken seriously, not just brushed over for the compensation. It also includes some big gambles with the potential for high risk and high reward.
Part of being an RA means you also lose control over where you live. You don’t get to choose which residential learning community to become an RA for, which also means that you do not choose which dorm building you live in. There’s a big difference between Red Bricks and PCV, and you don’t choose which you get.
You also still need to be hired to get the job, so you aren’t guaranteed housing when you apply. You will not be notified until February, so you should still secure a backup housing option in case you do not get the job.
READ MORE: 5 tips for navigating the off-campus housing search
Working as an RA is also a significant time commitment of approximately 20 hours per week.
“The RA position is expected to be your primary responsibility other than your academics,” University Housing says on its website. “As such, you must have approval from your supervisor for any outside job.”
Besides being on-call for late-night shifts, the terms and conditions also state that the time commitment can cut into academic breaks because RAs will sign up to work during one of the break periods. They also cannot leave early for breaks, as they have to stay at the dorms even after they close for academic breaks to complete room checks and other administrative tasks.
This role is also undocufriendly, so applicants do not need to present immigration documents, employment authorization or social security numbers to be hired. If RAs want to receive hourly wages, they can also work as desk assistants (which is not undocufriendly, as it requires employment authorization).
Besides those logistics, being an RA is a great opportunity to directly shape campus culture. RAs can help freshmen transition, build a sense of community and take part in forming their first impression of the school.
The chance to positively contribute to the campus culture is what drew Joseph Galicinao to become an RA four years ago. Galicinao is an electrical engineering masters student and third time RA in Cerro Vista.
“Especially since this is a predominantly white institution, I wanted to help build community, because my first year I lived on a mainly white floor,” Galicinao said. “I thought [being an RA] was a great opportunity to be a driving force to help build that community, help build relationships and help make the transition into a PWI easier for my residents.”
He also enjoys connecting with many students and being able to stay in contact with them after being their RA.
“Even now, there’s never a day where I don’t say hi to somebody that I knew in the past,” Galicinao said. “Whenever a past resident or someone says hi to me, it means to me that I made a good impact on their life and they want to say hi to me, which is always the most rewarding part.”
While meeting residents and hosting events are highlights, Galicinao said on-call shifts can be difficult if your floor is rowdier, and also depending on how busy the night is.
“That’s the hardest part, because sometimes it’s kind of like a toss-up,” Galiciano said. “Some nights it’s really quiet, as if you weren’t on call at all. Like you get no lockouts, you get no 3 a.m. knocks on your door. But other times, it’s like you’re always doing something.”
However, Galicinao says he can rely on other RAs to help him.
“I would say that even though it is difficult, you do have a great subset of RAs around you and co-workers around you who are there to support you,” Galicinao said. “The weight’s not all on you, which I think is very beneficial.”
Emily Winters is a graphic design senior and a first time RA in Santa Lucia. She got off the waitlist to be an RA midway through the summer.
Winters said she wanted to become an RA to make a positive impact on freshmen, just like her first-year RA did for her.
“My freshman year, I had a pretty good RA who made me feel really welcomed and helped me get out of my shell,” Winters said. “I feel like I’ve made some of my closest friends so far this year, whether it be with fellow residents or other RAs.”
Winters also explained that the housing and dining dollars compensation was “a huge assistance” for her, since she has been working full-time for three years. Since working as an RA, Winters said that she has finally been able to start working part-time, even though scheduling shifts for her off-campus job has become more difficult.
Beyond connecting with students, RAs play important roles as first responders when students are being transported or experiencing alcohol poisoning. RAs are also mandated reporters for the university and may need to support students navigating tricky situations.
If you are interested in becoming an RA or CA, check out one of the information sessions in November.
“Making an impact on someone’s life is the most important part of being RA to me,” Galicinao said.
Being an RA is more than just free housing. You should be passionate about supporting and looking after students, fostering a sense of community and ensuring safety in the dorms. There are many advantages to the job, but being an RA is an important role.
If you aren’t ready every day to be eager to help students get back into their room after locking themselves out, you may need to keep looking for housing!