From dealing with an intoxicated roommate to facing probation twice, Karolyna Gonzalez has had her share of experiences as both a resident and as a residential adviser at Sacramento State.

Gonzalez is a second-year student who is currently majoring in interior architecture and is an outspoken and driven resident adviser at Sacramento State. Her motivation? Not only to improve her financial situation but to be the kind of RA she wished she had in her freshman year.

“I’m here in Sacramento because I really like the program Sacramento State has for architecture,” said Gonzalez, who is from Oakland.

Overcoming A Challenging Roommate

During her first year, she lived in the Draper dorms and had an average experience with the RAs. However, Gonzalez encountered difficulties with her roommate, who was sometimes intoxicated. When she reported the situation to her RA, there was no satisfactory resolution, and Gonzalez had to escalate the issue with the supervisor. Although Gonzalez and her roommate were moved to another room, the experience was still unsatisfactory because the new RA was not welcoming or supportive.

“My RA didn’t really care or did anything about it to help me and my other roommate,” Gonzalez said. “From that point, me and my roommate had to talk to the supervisor so we can get help and move somewhere else. When my roommate and I  moved, our new RA still wasn’t very welcoming or supportive of us, so it made our experience a bit hard.”

From Doubtful Applicant to Confident RA

So why become an RA? Gonzalez said her friend Maya Tyler had also applied and encouraged her to do so. Gonzalez also mentioned that the RA job would be financially helpful to her, but more importantly, she did not want other students to experience the same indifferent attitude she faced during her freshman year.

“When applying I wasn’t very confident about getting the job because I didn’t have really good grades,” Gonzalez said. “I was also scared because I don’t like interviews or talking to people that I know are judging something about me, so the whole process for applying as an RA was kind of scary. … There were times when it felt like it was pointless – (I wasn’t) confident about actually getting the job with the grades that I had for my first semester.”

Regardless of her feelings and all the odds against her getting the job, she still ended up being offered the position. 

Gonzalez said a successful  RA should be outgoing, bold and firm. There are times when an RA must be strict and enforce policies, even if it is unpleasant. Being outgoing helps in interacting with residents and ensuring their comfort.

“I stand out because I say things how they are,” she said. “I like to be straight up, straight to the point – solve the issue quickly, talk about things quickly.  I’m a person who doesn’t like to waste time when it comes to solving problems and dealing with delicate situations.  I am an older sister, so I have that protective instinct and want to listen to people, and as an RA that’s been very helpful.”

First-timer RA Challenges and Prioritizing Academics 

Gonzalez admitted that she initially panicked and felt overwhelmed during the summer training. After talking to experienced RAs, she realized that getting to know the residents was the most important step in building a community. Gonzalez’s plan is to make sure she knows her residents and that they know her. Gonzalez admitted that her floor had a lot of drama, which made her job harder, but she tried to be respectful and mindful of her residents.