WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2003
STUDENTLIFE
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN =3B
RAs enforce rules, forge friendships
By Justin La Mort
correspondence@kansan.com
Kansan correspondent
The resident assistant, or RA, has the daunting task of being the guardian of fellow students, but RAs say the job can be beneficial.
Although RAs receive free room and board as well as a small stipend, most RAs said the experience was the best benefit.
But the work of an RA is not perfect. It takes a lot of time and sacrifice.
Heather Young, Abilene senior and former Hashinger Hall RA, said she felt a huge gap between herself and her off-campus friends during her time as an RA.
Jesse Atwell, Verdi senior and former Oliver Hall RA, said he had to deal with obnoxious and disgusting behavior from residents.
"For some bizarre reason, freshmen students have this extreme fetish with human feces," Atwell said. "They are all closet fecalphiliacs."
Atwell said fire alarms were also a problem in Oliver.
Another challenge of being a RA is being an authority figure.
"I loved waking up at five in the morning because some drunk moron pulled the switch or burnt their rubber chicken in the microwave," Atwell said.
Mike Lemon, Bonner Springs junior and Templin Hall RA, said it was hard to keep from being the bad guy.
"RAs are looked at as enforcers, but they are really just students who are there to help." Lemon said.
Some students appreciate the thin line their RAs tread between enforcer and buddy.
Brandon Heinz. Lakewood, Colo., freshman, said his RA was like a really cool uncle. "They will slap you around when you screw up and will be your best friend when you don't." Heinz said.
By far, the biggest complaint RAs had was dealing with the bureaucracy of the residence halls. Young said it was almost impossible to get big issues taken care of because there were so many people who had to discuss a change before it could be made.
To become a RA, you must complete an application process that involves filling out forms, meeting GPA requirements and going to several interviews.
Diana Robertson, the Associate Director of Student Housing, said interviewers looked for people who had good leadership, communication and organization skills.
About 100 RAs are selected each year.
"In spite of being surrounded by fecalphiliacs, it is just entertaining." Atwell said.
Despite its drawbacks, most RAs agreed that the job was rewarding.
— Edited by Anne Mantey
By Melissa Frankel
correspondence@kansan.com
Kansan correspondent
Coffeehouse work fun despite smells
A coffeehouse can be more than a place to hang out and drink coffee at; it can be a place to work.
Levi Reznicek, Baldwin senior,
said he enjoyed his job at Z's
Divine Espresso, 10 E. Ninth St.
.Suite A. Reznicek said the hours
were flexible and the environment
was clean and he usually
had time to read or study or talk to
customers. Reznicek also said it
paid better than any job he had
had.
Natalie Patrick, Lenexa junior, works at Borders Books, Music and Café, 700 New Hampshire St. She said she also liked her job, and she especially liked getting book discounts.
The employee discount is not the only reason Patrick likes her job. She said that by learning how to make coffee she had learned to truly appreciate the drink.
There is one aspect of her job, however, that she does not like.
"I spill milk on my clothes and go home smelling like steamed, sour milk," she said.
Jeff Otte, Topeka senior, works at Henry's, 11 E. Eighth St. He also mentioned the smells associated with his job.
Andy Samuelson/Kansan
"I come out of here smelling like coffee and cigarettes. It's pretty terrible," Otte said.
Patrick said students came to Borders to get fast food and coffee and to study, although it does offer gourmet drinks. Patrick said she appreciated it when she had time to concentrate and make a beautiful drink. When she goes out to drink coffee, though, she prefers to go to the local places over large chains like Borders.
Otte said there were definitely differences between working at a chain store and a local shop.
"We take punches with the economy instead of driving out the local economy like some chains," Otte said. "We don't have to wear uniforms or follow behavior codes or feel like we have a manager sitting over the top of us all of the time."
Starbucks' employees declined to be interviewed for this article.
When he was first learning to make coffee Otte said it was hard.
"It it takes about three years to really get up on par to it. To learn the ins and outs of everything. To memorize the types of coffees and their different origins and to kind of perfect your skills." Otte said.
Reznicek said when he first started learning to make coffee drinks he was working at the Z's location at 1800 E. 23rd St. He said actually making the drinks was not too difficult, but dealing with the early-morning rush of commuters at the drive-through was a challenge.
"It's really important in the mornings that you are really quick." Reznick said.
Spending time conversing with customers is something Reznicek, Patrick and Otte all said they do at work. Patrick said about 50 percent of her customers are regulars, and people tell her a lot about their lives.
"It's like being a lesser-paid bartender I suppose. You don't have to deal with drunks, but you do have to deal with pseudo-intellectuals which is sort of the same thing sometimes," Otte said.
Natalie Patrick, Lenexa junior, mixes a latte at Borders Books, Music and Café, 700 New Hampshire St. Patrick enjoys her job but said she could live without the coffeehouse smell. "I spill milk on my clothes and go home smelling like steamed sour milk," she said.
Finding a job at a coffeehouse is not always easy. Otte said Henry's received about five applications every day. He said students who wanted to work at a coffeehouse should apply to the places they enjoy going to during their free time, should get to know the owners and should be enthusiastic about the job.
"The last thing you're going to need is a lot of luck because generally they seem to be some of the first student jobs to fill up in this town." Otte said. "If you're lucky enough to find one where you get along with the patrons and the staff then the gamble can be worth it."
- Edited by Amber Byarlay
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