The Up-front CA: Friend or Foe
*Submissions have been made by a contributing author
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Your new ID slides into the door. Flashing a green light, you turn the handle and peer into your new dorm. Stepping inside you see a blank canvas of white walls, just waiting for your personal touch and all the memories you’re going to make. Excitement rises inside of you; parties, college boys, college girls, DRINKING…
“Hi! My name is Sally May, and I’m your CA!”
Heart sinking, you make your first impression of this authority figure. Time to decide, friend or foe.
The First Impression
Yes, we are wearing matching shirts, and yes we may be a bit too bubbly, but that’s because we’re so excited to meet you! We’ve been training for this moment for over a week and can’t wait to get to know who you are.
Our first job is to make sure everyone is safe and is working towards building a community, but we really DO want you to like us. We are so excited by the opportunity to have you as a resident and are eager to form a relationship.
We try to learn your names in the first one to two weeks, but go easy on us, there are 50+ names to learn.
Why we’re a CA
Everyone has a different reason, but generally it comes from the same idea, we love helping others. Yes we get a free room, and yes we get a paycheck every two weeks, but that paycheck isn’t very much, and dorm life is tiring when you’re 22. We appreciate the benefits, and we probably couldn’t be a CA without them, but it’s not why we filled out an application.
We work 24/7 and are woken up at 4 a.m. for lockouts, but we still love it. Yeah, the early morning lockouts aren’t fun, but the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.
We are responsible for trying to create a fun, safe, and inclusive environment.
We get to help you on your first move into adulthood; that’s kind of an amazing thing.
In any given semester we come to know so many amazing people and their stories.
We help you to realize your potential and embrace the change in a positive way.
What we want for you
The “perfect resident” would never do anything illegal, would always adhere to quiet hours, and be friends with everyone on the floor. There is no such thing as the “perfect resident” (we’re nowhere near perfect), but we do have some hopes for you!
BE SAFE- We know you’re in college and you want to have fun, but be smart and safe! We were all freshman once, but your safety is our number one priority. If we think that it’s been put in danger, we WILL act. Know your limits and always have friends around you. If you need help, PLEASE come see us. Although you may be afraid of what might happen, getting help when you need it is the most important thing.
Make Friends- It’s so exciting to see residents forming bonds and relationships in the halls. Keep your door open, say hi in the hallway. You may not realize your new best friend is four doors down. Be open to forming relationships with someone new and/or different.
Ask us! – As a CA, we’re here to help YOU. Whether is a question about your meal plan, a roommate disagreement or a question about a picture of our dog hanging on the wall, we LOVE to help and answer your questions. We want to be needed and to help your transition to college easier.
Final Impression
When we first say hello, please keep an open mind. We aren’t here to get you in trouble, but we will do what’s best for your safety.
Don’t forget, we’re students too! We love to get pizza, binge-watch Netflix, and singing in the shower. Movie nights are the best, and we’d LOVE to get ice-cream with you. Your CA doesn’t have to be your enemy; that’s not what we want. Keep an open mind and maybe your new CA will become an unlikely friend.
