Good Morning, Good Afternoon, and Goodnight:

A Day in the Life of a Resident Advisor

PHOTOS BY LUKE RUTAN
Darcy Ma

While business major Darcy Ma’s day is filled with classes, homework, and other priorities, he always tries to make time for the 22 residents on his floor.

“Being a resident advisor is one of the best jobs I’ll ever have,” Ma says. A typical Wednesday includes waking up at 8 a.m., reading his Bible, and going to breakfast in Gwinn dining hall. After that it’s off to two morning classes (Belief, Morality, and Modern Mind; and Business Statistics), and then he usually naps during lunchtime. After his afternoon Investments class, Ma works out with one of his residents. “Sometimes three more join, and it’s a party.”

Ma says that his most important RA duty is “just living life with these guys,” whether that means playing video games, “horsing around,” or having deep conversations about life and faith. “I don’t have all of the answers by any means, but I’m here to try to figure it out with them.”

Ma typically saves his homework for night, and often stays up until 1 a.m. working on his studies. “That allows me to be able to do all of the floor functions during the day,” he says. His grades have not suffered, but he does occasionally sacrifice some sleep. “It’s worth the trade-off.”