Work study, peer mentor, resident/desk assistant, tutor, and several other jobs are positions on campus held by students. Students who choose to get on campus jobs are tasked with juggling being a full time student while also working a full time job.
Anaija Cure, LLC residential advisor (RA), was introduced early to the idea of working on campus. “Becoming an RA was the first job on campus I was introduced to and excited for,” Cure said. “I wanted to help the incoming freshman’s transition to college and help them feel welcome.”
Other students express this same sentiment as wanting to impact an incoming class of students.
“One pro I would say is making connections with different people and learning from each other,” RA Abdulahi Emiola said. “I wanted to connect with the underclassmen and be a big support for them in the future.”
Some students like RA Kriston Youmans, have been able to take the opportunity provided to them to grow in their personal lives.
“Working for housing has greatly contributed from when I first started working to now,” says Youmans.
Despite all the positivity, self-growth, and special connections, a job is still a job. There are still responsibilities that must be met in order for the housing system to function properly.
When a problem arises, whether it’s something as small as a roommate conflict, or as big as a medical emergency, RAs hear about it first.
“You are the first line of contact of all your residents in your building,” Cure says. “It can be overwhelming when trying to balance personal and academic issues.”
Working on campus can also cause students to miss out on social events with their peers. One duty of an RA is to complete shifts at the desk in a designated dorm hall. Although the schedule can be very flexible, it can occasionally be overwhelming.
“We don’t get to go to all the events we would like to because we have responsibilities as people working for housing,” Emiola says.
Although there might be some cons, working on campus can be beneficial to students. The university overall will be more understanding of class schedules and academic work loads. The goal is to help students financially while also ensuring that they earn their degree.
“There are many departments on campus that are looking for help,” Cure says. “Especially ones that help financially and academically.”