The author Diane Ackerman in her story "A Slender Thread," writes about her experiences working at a crisis center as a hotline operator for people with suicidal tendencies. In her anecdote, she deals with a patient Louise, who has placed herself in a near suicide situation when she consumes a very high dose of tylenol. Louise speaks about how although she has many good things in her life, she feels like there is a lack of value to everything she does, and therefore, she has no desire to live anymore. Diane coaches her through these issues over the phone, ultimately making a decision against Louise's will to call the police. In the end, we find out that Diane saved Louise's life when Louise sends a letter to the crisis center saying that her life was changed for the better.
This story definitely has multiple applications in our role as an RA for freshmen. Though almost all cases are not going to be as extreme as a person considering suicide, it is our job to act for the wellness of our residents. Besides all the fun activities and events we get to participate in with the residents, we have a duty to create bonds with individuals, and learn as much as we can about them. Sometimes, though a person may seem like they are doing well on the outside, they may be struggling with many personal issues ranging from the stress of school work, to problems at home, to relationships with their fellow classmates. Even the simplest of conversations can positively affect a person to get a better outlook, or think more clearly about what they are doing with their freshmen year experience. It is part of our RA duty to help each resident, whether they are the most outgoing, or the most introverted, find where they are comfortable and happy at Carnegie Mellon.
Another part of this story that speaks to the role of the RA is when Diane eventually makes a decision to help Louise, even though it is against what Louise has told her. Literally speaking, we may actually encounter a situation like this where we may have to act against a resident's request for their overall health. More generally speaking, however, as an RA, we may have to make decision sometimes that make us uncomfortable, or don't go along with our personal feelings. In these situations, we have to consider the overall well-being of the dorm community both on our individual floors, or in the residence as a whole. This year we may be faced with tough decisions, but using the right judgement, we can properly create a fun and healthy residence.
Danielle
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