Intro

          As a resident assistant at Mississippi State University, I obtained valuable skills and gained experiences that I will carry with me throughout the rest of my life.  This job was unlike most jobs in that where I lived was where I worked.  It mandated that I be ready to deal with any type of situation 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.  As a resident assistant, I was trained in conflict mediation, communication theories, handling crisis situations, handling medical emergencies (CPR / first aid), and inforcing university regulations.  I encountered and had to resolve situations dealing with domestic violence, public drunkeness, drug abuse, fire alarms, and several medical emergencies.  Amidst all of the work however, this job did have it's benefits.  Cresswell Hall was a freshman dorm.  So, I was able to have an effect on my resident's lives as this was their first year at the university.  Each of them was looking for a friend and a person to guide them through.  In addition to being a resident assistant, I was also the academic assistant for the dorm.  This mandated that I spend many late nights tutoring some of the residents on my floor in Calculus, Chemistry, and Physics.  The greatest reward was having those residents come up to me the next year and thank me for having helped them through their courses and for showing them the way.  I made a lot of friends during this time and look back on the memories in my mind frequently.  Those were truly the days.