As the fall semester approaches, Columbia’s resident assistants are back in training, and they’ve got stories to tell. From game nights to apartment-style independence, tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at life in Columbia’s dorms and how community thrives in every hallway.
Transcript:
0:07: Welcome back to Chronicle Conversations.
0:10: I’m your host, Stella Huang.
0:15: Hey y’all, it’s literally the middle of August.
0:18: As we say goodbye to Chicago’s lovely summer, we’re heading into the fall semester pretty soon.
0:23: The resident assistants for Columbia Student Housing started their training session this week, and I caught up with a few RAs within their super tight schedule.
0:31: First up is Molly Soczka, a junior acting major and a returning RA who spent two years living in Columbia’s residence halls.
0:38: Honestly, the two main things are the closeness to campus just because it’s so convenient to just be able to walk to all my classes.
0:47: And also, all the people I meet. The RAs are super, super cool.
0:52: I always find myself making great friends right away and my residents are usually really fun to get to know.
0:59: Sometimes those connections start small, like a game night or a floor event, but they can quickly turn into lasting friendships.
1:07: I hosted a game night one time and a group of friends showed up, but then another person showed up that was not a part of the friend group whatsoever they just wanted to play games. We ended up having a really fun time getting to know each other and like playing together.
1:23: I’m glad that that person who wasn’t a part of the friend group got to kind of become part of the friend group by the end.
1:29: It was really cool to watch.
1:30: Camden DeGarmo, a senior cinematography major, and also a returning RA, has a similar experience. For Camden, seeing his residents come together as a thriving community is one of the most rewarding parts of the job.
1:43: There was this crew of improv comedy students.
1:47: They started doing like these little improv shows at 30 East last year.
1:50: Like, every time I bumped into these guys, they were more excited about their little project, and it started spiraling to just become a bigger and bigger thing.
1:57: Eventually they had to get a venue space outside the dorm.
2:00: And then there’s Naluwa Adeyooye, a sophomore illustration major stepping into the RA role for the first time, even as a newcomer.
2:07: She’s already excited to help her residents feel at home and build connections, just like the returning RAs.
2:13: I get a lot from being useful to people.
2:16: I really like helping people.
2:17: I don’t know, it itches some little part of my brain, even if it’s like in like small ways just like a saying like a hi, and then like somebody’s smiling after you give them a quick compliment or like having like a quick chat with someone, like seeing somebody perk up after small interactions like that.
2:30: I like being helpful in that way.
2:32: I’m most excited about decorating the doors and planning the bulletin boards and stuff like that.
2:37: It was pretty nice.
2:39: The building was really pretty with all of the open light and the windows, and I am very much a big window person.
2:44: I cannot wake up without light, so that was very nice.
2:47: The three of them all appreciate how living on campus helps students develop independence while still being part of a supportive community.
2:54: The apartment style dorms.
2:55: I have a friend that’s in Loyola and their dorm is really, really tiny.
3:00: It’s basically just like a bedroom.
3:01: It’s pretty nice because if this is our first baby steps into adulthood learning how to manage your own apartment, this is a pretty good place to start learning these things but it’s, there’s such a big safety blanket for it as well.
3:14: The apartments, it’s really good to learn independence by living in an apartment, because you can learn how to clean all those different spaces.
3:22: Like, some people might not even know how to clean a toilet.
3:24: It is like really, you get thrown into the thick of it right away.
3:28: And I think it’s a great way to learn more about being an independent person, especially in a big city.
3:33: I think at Columbia, it’s interesting.
3:37: You get a very apartment-like life, which is, I think, a really valuable experience to get right out the gate.
3:45: You get a lot of students learning how to cook for themselves, how to clean their own stuff, take care of things like dishes and laundry, you know, it’s a little tougher to learn how to do it in more traditional style dorms.
3:57: You do get a similar experience sans the safety net and the events and community stuff, you know, but just being downtown in general, I think it’s, it’s extremely nice to be close to the school, be around campus, being able to walk around and just bump into people.
4:10: While all three RAs love the community and independence that come with living and working on campus, it’s not without challenges.
4:17: Balancing coursework, event planning and supporting residents can be tricky, but it’s also what keeps them motivated.
4:24: I’ve definitely had challenges with my own schedule, as an acting major and stage combat minor.
4:30: I tend to have rehearsals and combat choreography that I have to practice outside of classes, on top of working my duty shifts, hosting events, going to class, like, it’s definitely hard to keep up with everything.
4:45: Definitely at 30 East, the biggest one was keeping up with residents in general.
4:49: Like, it was kind of hard to get in contact with a lot of people and a lot of events were really low, low attendance, but I’m looking forward to that this year.
4:57: I’ve heard that Dwight’s a lot more energetic.
4:59: Having events that they actually want to go to, cause I made all of my friends in Colombia in my freshman year through events held by RAs and stuff, so I want to do the same thing.
5:08: Beyond all of that, the housing at Columbia is also evolving.
5:12: Here are some exciting updates that are making dorm life even more engaging for students.
5:17: Last year, they started developing this program called the Community Programming Council, and it’s a way for students to actually host their own events and programs just like the RAs do. It’s really good for students who are interested in leadership roles and just, you know, hosting things.
5:37: So I think that’s really cool.
5:38: They’re continuing it this year, and it would be really good for students who especially want to become RAs.
5:44: Nothing dramatic.
5:45: There’s been some shuffling around the communities and stuff.
5:48: The honors housing got moved over to Dwight, and I think we expanded the 21-up community this year, but besides that, our goals around community engagement through event planning are pretty much the same.
6:00: Before we wrap up, let’s hear some great tips for making the most of life in Columbia’s residence halls, little nuggets of advice that can make a big difference in your college experience.
6:10: If you’re struggling with homesickness or any sort of mental thing, we get therapy for free.
6:15: We have timely care for free, you’re already paying for it, so I would use it.
6:20: Even if you think it’s a small thing, even if it’s just like, oh, I’m just a little sad or oh I’m just a little stressed, you’re paying for it, use it, because you have no idea how much one conversation can make you feel better.
6:31: It really is those community events.
6:33: I think they are dramatically better if more people come, you know, it leads people to meet each other and make friends.
6:39: I don’t think people realize that they could talk to all the RAs, not just their RA.
6:44: We have such a diverse staff and like so many different majors and all these people have so many different experiences that I think it’s so worth it to try and talk to an RA that’s in your major who might be in a class right now that you’re interested in just to ask questions.
7:00: You have a whole team of people willing to help you, not just that one person.
7:03: So I do think that’s something that residents don’t always think about doing.
7:08: Make sure to stay up to date with campus and metronews at columbiachronicle.com.
7:14: And sign up for our newsletter at columbiachronicle.com/newsletter.
7:20: I’m Stella Huang. Thanks for listening.
Copy edited by Emma Jolly
