When I was first asked to write an article about being a resident assistant in the Meredith Willson Residence Hall, I wasn't really sure where and how to start. On one hand, it's great that people are interested in what an R.A.'s life is like; on the other hand, I cannot claim to represent every staff member's voice. But here I am, with my thick Chinese accent, speaking and sharing my experience with you.

Before I became an R.A., the life of the residence hall staff was always a mystery to me. They all seemed to know exactly what needed to be done, and they all acted in unison to accomplish it. Not until I received my intensive two-week training last summer did I really know how much work goes into being part of the residence hall staff team. During the training period, all 17 staff members really got to know each other. We worked closely together, preparing for many issues that might be faced during the school year. Everything is planned far in advance, addressing all the little details. As staff members, we don't just do what we're told; we must also contribute our own thoughts and ideas to make our service better, more practical, and thoughtful. I think I can say that, from our leaders right on down to the last assistant, everyone's goal is to make a strong team and serve our resident students better.

Huang Ruo

The whole team is like a family, made up of three community assistants, a dozen resident assistants, two head resident assistants, and representatives from both the Office of Residence Life and Student Affairs. Our regular Sunday night meetings serve as a conclusion to the previous week and a preparation for the upcoming one, providing a time and place for us to discuss what has been done well (or not too well) and what might be done better in the future. Like every family in real life, we have our ups and downs—but whatever we do, we try to keep in mind our very simple goal of making life in the residence hall the best it can be. Part of the process is learning how to work together and share with each other. For me, it is a unique training program that will prepare me to live and work in a larger society after I finish school. Meanwhile, I am enjoying the moments and events we are creating together as a team.

People often ask me, "What is the hardest thing for you as a residence hall staff member?" I'm always tempted to reply, "On which day?" There are always unexpected challenges for each of us to face, and we must draw from our knowledge and ability in dealing with them. I still remember how we were called upon to cope with the September 11 tragedy at the beginning of last semester, a hard and painful time for most people. Some students expressed their concern about the safety of being at school, and a few of them even thought about either taking time off or quitting. From our standpoint as residence life staff, we need to help our residents make the best decisions for themselves. In all cases, we try to be good listeners—not just assistants, but friends our residents can trust and share with.

Thinking back over the past year, we have had so many fun and memorable experiences. I remember in particular our residence hall's all-hall program: the Sock Monkeys and Fondu Night, in December. Our idea was to bring residents together to make sock monkeys, and then deliver them to those families who could not afford holiday gifts for their children… a simple idea, but it really grabbed people's hearts. The 11th-floor lounge was full of students from different divisions, joined by the residence life staff, all sitting together and helping each other out, enjoying the food and making the socks into lovely little monkeys. (Who says boys don't know how to sew? The event totally proved this assumption wrong!)

If I could only use one word to describe the life of a residence life staff member, it would have to be "water." It is simple, but meaningful: water can flow into oceans, or break into rains. It will not get people drunk, or make them overweight, and it is a necessary element for a healthy body.

As Bruce Lee says: "Be like water, my friend." 

Huang Ruo is a master's degree candidate in composition; he recently had a work premiered by the New Juilliard Ensemble.