In the madness of college life, especially
life as an RA, it is all too easy to forget to pay attention
to one thing; YOURSELF! We spend so much time
in meetings, programs, conflict mediations, late night
conversations... the list goes on and on. The
amount of time spent caring ourselves is so important,
yet so often thrown aside. How can we be of "assistance"
to our residents if we are not taking care of ourselves?
Here are a few things that I came up with that I try
to think about as I "take care of me."
- Rest! - Contrary to what many
people including myself seem to think, us humans
need sleep. Make sure you are setting up your
schedule so that you can sleep!
- Reduce your workload - I know,
this one seems impossible, and sometimes it is.
At least step back and take an objective look at
your responsibilities and duties, as an RA, in school
and anything else.
- Get out of the hall! - As resident
assistants, we live where we work. That can
be stressful, because it can be difficult to separate
yourself from that "job mode" and allow
yourself to truly relax. While it is extremely
important to spend a lot of time with your residents
and in the residence hall, plan "away time,"
too.
- Exercise - Who has time, right?
Well, exercise is a huge stress reliever, and taking
care of your body will do wonders for every aspect
of your life! For me, this is one that slips
through the cracks WAY too easily, and I notice
the effects immediately. So schedule it, and
DO IT!
- Get some alone time! - You need
to refuel yourself. I am a very extroverted
person, that is, I get energy from being around
people, but I have learned that I need to spend
time alone. This is even more true for those
people who are more introverted.
- Learn to say "no," or at least
"later" - You can't always shove
aside your own needs for someone else's, even though
it may seem like the right thing to do. In
reality, it may not be good for either of you!
If a resident wants to talk with you about an issue
they are facing, and you are tired and stressed,
it may be best for you both if you reschedule for
a time when you will be able to devote your whole
attention to them. If it is a pressing situation,
you also have the option of referring the person
to someone more able to help at the time.
Finally, don't forget to have fun! Being an
RA can and should be FUN! So take a deep breath,
close your door, and take a quick nap!
If you would like to contribute an article that relates
to RA life, please email
me!
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