Opinions Column.

One of the best things I have ever done is becoming a Community Advisor (CA) here at Augustana. Being a CA has given me many opportunities and allowed me to meet and work with amazing people. I know many people have various opinions about CAs on campus and whether the job is worth it or not. However, I believe that if people understood exactly what goes into the CA position, more people would appreciate the job and may even want to be a CA.

One of the main responsibilities of a CA is being on duty. While on duty, I hold the duty phone from 7 p.m. to 7a.m. If someone calls the duty phone, I have to answer it and help whoever has called as best as I can. People who call the duty phone can be residents, other CAs, supervisors or public safety officers. I also have to sit at the desk. I usually will only sit at the desk for about two hours, however, it’s possible to be there longer depending on a variety of things.

The other large part of a CA’s job is taking care of the residents. This is one of the most rewarding parts, but also one of the hardest. Helping a resident can include a variety of tasks, like showing them how to fill out a work order, helping them find items in the dorm or just talking to them. There have been many nights I get calls, texts and emails at one or two a.m. with someone needing my help or needing to talk with me about something.

As a CA, how much I work a week will vary as well. I will be on duty one to three days a week on average. One of the best things about being a CA is that the job is very flexible. I get to work with the other CAs and make my own schedule. If I do happen to schedule myself for a day that I have something going on, it is pretty easy to find another CA to cover for me.

There will also be times when it will feel like all I do is work. I’ll be on duty multiple days during the week, I’ll have residents who are having an issue and I will be going back and forth with them. 

You will have deadlines for class and other activities that are due, and you have any extracurricular to do on top of everything else.

As a CA, you will gain a variety of skills that are crucial and will help you, not only as you move forward with a career, but will help you in your everyday life. 

Some of the most important skills that I have learned are how to be a good leader, how to effectively communicate, how to directly address a situation and how to handle stressful situations. 

These are not all the skills and things you will learn, but these are the things I think are the most important.

All of those who run the Office of Residential Life and all those who the CAs work with are all amazing people. They really do care a lot and I feel like they want me to succeed in every aspect of my life.

One of the best things, in my opinion, about being a CA is the work environment and culture that is created by all the other CAs. I did not know even a quarter of the other CAs before I started working with them. 

Through this job, I have made many amazing friends and I have gotten to know some amazingly kind, fun and open-minded people. 

I have had the pleasure of making some amazing memories with all the people I have worked with this past year that I will carry with me forever.

I love being a CA at Augustana College. As a CA, I have gotten to meet a lot of amazing and great people. I have had so much fun doing this job, not only with the residents, but also with all my other co-workers. 

I have had a handful of other jobs in my life but none of them have been as enjoyable and as rewarding as being a CA.