I was bursting with excitement when I became a resident advisor for upperclassmen. I felt lucky to have landed a position where I could interact with fellow classmates, if even for a few minutes. However, my first program was an incredible failure. I knew that I should not have expected many residents to come to my program as they were juniors and seniors that did not need resident advisors as often. However, not one single resident showed up. This initial experience was extremely discouraging, and I dreaded holding more programs that residents would not show up for. I had never considered myself bad at interacting with other students, but I now wondered if I wasn’t the right fit for being a resident advisor.
However, I refused to give in so early. I knew what a difference residential programs made for students and how its promise helped them withstand the stresses of college. I was committed to ensuring that my programs were a fun space and decided to consult my fellow resident advisors. A senior resident advisor named Katherine provided me with an answer which has stuck with me ever since: “The program itself is not as important as letting them know that you are there
…show more content…
Instead of creating an elaborate program that was built on teaching them a lesson, I started a weekly event called “Cookie Wednesday.” Every Wednesday, I would make a batch of cookies at 8pm. Students could drop by and leave as they please taking a cookie with them. It was incredible how much more open residents would become after I began opening my door before expecting anything in return. The same residents who never bothered replying to my emails now became frequent visitors chatting with me about their day and releasing their frustrations. Putting yourself out there so often isn’t easy; sometimes I succeeded and sometimes I failed, but putting in the effort every week to bake cookies helped me improve bit by