‘A really interesting experience’: how advisors are the backbone of Mohawk student residence

When resident advisors (RAs) aren’t tackling their coursework, they’re creating a welcoming community within the walls of Mohawk’s Residence through leadership, positivity and friendliness.

Grace de Smit, a student in the Graphic Design program, is the sole resident advisor for the fourth floor of Mohawk College Residence, and it’s not her first time being an advisor. While she’s had experience dealing with event planning and being a leader, de Smit understands the hardships new students face in new environments, and she wants residents to know that their RAs are there for them.

“College can be a scary experience for many, including myself,” de Smit said. “When I first came I was horrified by all the change. I solved these issues by going out and experiencing the events and making new friends. Don’t forget that we RAs ourselves are human as well as students at the same college as you. If you are ever afraid or need a friendly face to help you figure out where stuff is, don’t be afraid to reach out to us.”

While it’s important to maintain a safe, comfortable living environment for more than 300 students, there are other aspects to being a Mohawk RA that involve leadership and rule enforcement.

“We are support systems, and we do rounds of the building to keep everyone safe and ensure that the community is respectful so everyone can thrive,” de Smit said. “There’s nothing worse than a space that doesn’t feel safe.”

But being an RA doesn’t come without personal challenges. For Anna Tomaz, the RA for the first floor, and a student in the Environmental Technician program, her experience so far has been something she’s worked on to overcome, with the help of her team.

“This is my first year in college and in residence,” Tomaz said. “I just arrived a week before the training so it was a totally different culture for me. The other RAs had been in residence previously and one of them was an RA the year before, so they really helped me get adapted to this new environment.”

The advisors spent two weeks training before residents moved in before the semester began.

“We did icebreakers and team activities, and also had classes about important topics we could be dealing with throughout the semester, like how to deal with difficult residents and how to react in certain scenarios,” Tomaz explained. “It was a really interesting experience for sure.”

With classes now fully underway, and the residence welcoming events coming to an end, some students may still feel uncertain or overwhelmed. The RAs advise students to reach out to them with any problems and concerns, or if they just need someone to talk to.

“We are here to make your experience better in any way we can,” de Smit said. “Come talk to us. Most likely your RAs have gone through the same if not similar scenarios as you. You aren’t alone. If coming to talk to us in person is too intimidating reach out to us through our social media.”

Residents can watch for upcoming events around the lobby, and on the Residence’s Instagram @mohawkfennellresidence.