my first taste of reslife.

holy. cow.

i have been at school for a week and a half, and i feel like i have been here for months. school hasn't actually started yet. it doesn't start until september 3rd, but i have been in RA training everyday, so i am just as busy. training includes lots of feeling like you aren't actually learning anything. i mean, i did learn a few things like the student conduct process and the importance of knowing available resources on campus so we can refer our residents to them. but being the student handbook reader that i am, i already knew a lot of it. 

two of the days we had something called behind closed doors. all of the returning staff members say that it is the most important and useful part of training. i would say they were correct. basically the whole idea is that you go around with your staff and take turns pretending to be the RA. you are read a super vague prompt before you walk in and you have to handle the situation by yourself. the actors are returning staff members who actually know what they are doing. no. thats not intimidating at all.

they take everything to the extreme on purpose and it can be pretty awkward, chaotic, and emotional. some of them are minor things like confiscating candles, having them turn off R rated movies, or addressing decorating violations. and some of them are crazy like roommates screaming and throwing things at each other (good job paige and emily. you were so convincing.), people who are super depressed, and obnoxiously clingy residents. all things that could come up in my unit this year. yikes.

besides all of that exciting stuff, i had to call every single one of my residents. i have 30. 26 of them are freshman. that is a lot. i also have to do room inventories for all of the rooms on my unit, and decorate my entire hallway. it is a crazy amount of stuff to do. decorations were actually due on friday, but i changed my idea so many times that it still isn't done. almost my whole staff helped me out last night and we hot glued like crazy and danced to obnoxious songs. it was wonderful. 

i have a few girls who get here on wednesday and then the majority of them arrive on friday. it is going to be chaotic. i am a bit nervous. 

and now some photos.

first staff photo of the year.

cousin paige. so happy we are both on staffs.

finally reunited with the loves of my life.

i missed him.

hours and hours of flower making for my hall.

staff day away.

ivanhoes. please excuse my weird face. it's hard to take a 10 person selfie. 

peace and love yo.

ko.