On Becoming an RA

By Emmy King
Emmy is an English major in the class of 2025. She is from Southern California and will be one of the many resident assistants at George Fox next year. 

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I was nervous when I first set foot on George Fox’s campus. My heart was beating hard, and my senses were overwhelmed with wave after wave of new information. I’m from Southern California, and I had never been to George Fox before move-in day, not even to visit. I was 978 miles away from home, and I felt like a fish out of water. 

As my parents and I were unloading our car and trying to figure out where to go, a girl with long blonde hair and a big smile came up to us. She introduced herself as Katie, my RA (resident advisor). I didn’t know it then, but Katie and the rest of the RAs in my building would become an important part of my college experience here at Fox. 

Throughout the year, when I found myself struggling with college life and homesickness, Katie was always there to listen. I remember once, about three weeks into the first semester, when I found her in our dorm’s RA office.

“Katie, I want to drop out of college,” I said half-jokingly.

Her eyes flashed with good-natured concern, tinged with surprise. “Come in here, and let’s talk.”

Our conversation lasted about an hour. She asked me what was going on, and I told her I felt homesick and lost. She affirmed my feelings and then asked me some challenging but important questions that forced me to think a little deeper about college and my faith. She reminded me that I wasn’t alone – God was with me, and so was she. Needless to say, I took the conversation to heart and decided to stick around.

That’s just one example of how Katie has been there for me, but there are countless others. Really, all the RAs in my building have been there for me. I may not be one of their residents, but they still listen to me and guide me back to Jesus when I lose my way. I don’t want to know what my college experience would look like without them.

Their kindness, wisdom and patience inspired me to apply to become an RA for the 2022-23 academic year. In fact, they all encouraged me to apply. So, on a leap of faith, I got to work filling out my application and preparing for my interview with residence life. The process was a little intimidating, but they cheered me on every step of the way. When I was notified that I got an RA position for next year, Katie was one of the first people I told.

I am beyond excited to serve as an RA next year to another batch of freshmen like myself. I look forward to this amazing opportunity to be a witness for Jesus to other students as they navigate the complexities of college life. Being an RA is no easy task, but it’s an important one that I’m fortunate enough to be able to take part in. I can’t wait to meet my residents, work with my team, and show God’s love to others. I know firsthand how influential a good RA can be. 

Of course, this new opportunity doesn’t come without some anxiety. Sometimes I’m afraid that I won’t make a good RA, or that I’m not qualified to look after 18 college girls. I find myself asking, “What if the hiring team made a mistake? What if I’m not cut out to be an RA?” These questions are ultimately useless. God gave me this opportunity, and God never gives us more than we can handle. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through him who gives me strength.”

As this school year wraps up, I look forward to what God has in store for me next year. I trust that he is working all things for good, and I’m excited to see where he takes me, and where he takes my hall of girls. No matter what happens, I know I can always lean on him. And hey, maybe my residents will get to meet the RAs who inspired me to follow in their footsteps.