Sunday, August 27, 2006
My staff
My RAs arrived on Thursday. For those of you not in the field, the dynamics of your RA staff can really make or break your first year. My first year at USI was a bit difficult because a lot of RAs resented the fact that I did not know as much about USI as they did. Having only been at Penn State for three weeks, I know very little. While my training has covered many procedures, it really is hard to learn how things really work without seeing them. I was full of mixed emotions when it came to meeting my RAs - Excited to jump into a new school year, hesitant because they might not like me, worried that I wouldn't know the answers (I like to know it all!), and unsure of what I should do (it is good to have knowledge of how things were done in the past; I don't have complete knowledge).
Overall, the group is great. They tend to be on the quiet side so I have to coax discussion from them (so not used to this since my staff last year was full of strong, vocal leaders). I have a campus big wig on staff - G. was the campus student government President. One staff member has already taught me a valuable life lesson (this is what I love about my job). During one of our icebreaker activities, he shared that he had a daughter. He's 19 and I rushed to stereotypes about him. Later that night during the Door Tag party, he said "That's so gay" so I had even more stereotypes form against him but luckily I was soon challenged to rethink. After his comment, we went to have a "chat" and before I could say anything, he apologized for his inappropriate comment. He said "that's so gay" is just a phrase that is used so commonly but he is learning not to use it because it realizes it has more hurtful meaning. His brother just "came out of the closet" and he wants to be respectful to his brother. Then he told me that he thinks his daughter was the best thing that could have happened to him during his freshman year. He is now focused on doing well in school because he has to have a better future because of his child. He has a 4.0 and is so focused. Shame on me - doesn't he seem like a great guy!
Later today we leave for the overnight RA retreat. We are going to a place called Golden Pond. Woo Hoo for bonding time!
Overall, the group is great. They tend to be on the quiet side so I have to coax discussion from them (so not used to this since my staff last year was full of strong, vocal leaders). I have a campus big wig on staff - G. was the campus student government President. One staff member has already taught me a valuable life lesson (this is what I love about my job). During one of our icebreaker activities, he shared that he had a daughter. He's 19 and I rushed to stereotypes about him. Later that night during the Door Tag party, he said "That's so gay" so I had even more stereotypes form against him but luckily I was soon challenged to rethink. After his comment, we went to have a "chat" and before I could say anything, he apologized for his inappropriate comment. He said "that's so gay" is just a phrase that is used so commonly but he is learning not to use it because it realizes it has more hurtful meaning. His brother just "came out of the closet" and he wants to be respectful to his brother. Then he told me that he thinks his daughter was the best thing that could have happened to him during his freshman year. He is now focused on doing well in school because he has to have a better future because of his child. He has a 4.0 and is so focused. Shame on me - doesn't he seem like a great guy!
Later today we leave for the overnight RA retreat. We are going to a place called Golden Pond. Woo Hoo for bonding time!
# posted by Tracy @ 7:38 AM 
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