Working for a Living

Q:  So what's that work that you briefly mentioned during that awful make-up video for Poetry Friday?

A:  Well, I'm an RA at school.  If we're going to get technical, I'm an FYRA (First Year Resident Advisor) for a floor of 38 girls in a building of over 120 people.  As an RA, I get to do all sorts of fun things like make door decorations to label my residents' doors.

This is just one example of the first door decs I made for my residents.
Jackson Pollack inspired.

I also get to put together bulletin boards that I eye-catching, exciting, and hopefully educational (three E's, they should make that important at Training...).  I've put together boards on procrastination, the zodiac, poetic forms (because I'm an English dork) and a personality quiz that featured crayon colors, as well as a couple other things that I can't really remember right now.  Basically I get to put all of my visually artistic energy into bulletin boards or door decs.  I could conceivably put up hall decorations, but most of my ideas revolve around hanging things from the ceiling, and apparently that's a fire hazard or something.

Q:  Is that all you do as an RA?  Decorate your floor and label doors?

A:  Well, no.  I'm also responsible for being "on duty" in the hall one night a week.  Duty nights entail doing rounds of the building, moseying along, and making sure that everyone in the building is safe.  I have to check to make sure custodian closets are locked, fire extinguishers are present, as well as make sure that there's no damage, or drunken people causing a ruckus (thank you, spell check, for helping me spell).  It's not that bad, because I get to talk to the residents who are hanging out in the hallways, and then of course I get to observe the antics of silly drunk people, which is always fun.  Well, mostly.

In addition to doing rounds, I'm also responsible for "check outs" at the end of the semester.  First semester, second semester AND May Term.  During check out, all I really do is go through the Room Condition Report to make sure that there hasn't been any damage done to the room, collect hall damage fees and keys.  After that, all the resident has to do is sign the RCR and head off home.
Yesterday I did 21 of these check outs.  At least.
So basically, from 12:00 PM until 7:00 PM, I was running around the building like a crazy person collecting RCRs, key envelopes, forwarding address cards, lockout cards...looking for residents, waiting around for residents to move all their stuff out, pulling out my hair when ignorant parents decide to show zero appreciation for the job I have to do, and handling more change than I ever care to encounter again.

In short, I was a little busy yesterday, and that's why I neglected to post.  Which is probably going to allow me to get into a bad habit of forgetting to post, but I can only hope that that won't be the case.  I mean, I've been doing so well!  Anyway, when all was said and done yesterday, I myself got to move out of the building, and now I'm safe and sound at home.  Which is a comfort.  It really is good to be home.