RA forgoes sleep to balance duties, classwork

On a clear day, the view from his window highlights Beaver Stadium. Posters of the band U2 and ice hockey players going for the goal decorate the wall surrounding the window.

Jason Sinko, a resident assistant in McKean Hall, needs to be comfortable in his room, which, as an RA on duty, he finds himself spending a lot of time in.

When he does leave the room to go to class, he studies the laws of supply and demand. And like the residents he advises in East Halls, Sinko (sophomore-economics) dines in Findlay Commons on chicken strips and salad.

Sinko said he wanted to become an RA because it gives him an opportunity to be a leader and help dorm-dwellers deal with personal and academic problems. Being an RA is a good opportunity for Sinko to develop his leadership skills, he said.

One of the most important parts of his job, Sinko said, is to help new freshmen adjust to life at the University.

He said he tries to rally his residents together to build a better community among residents.

"I try to get everyone to feel as if they are almost a part of a family," he said.

Chris Hindinger, one of Sinko's residents, said Sinko does a good job of providing a neighborly environment for his students, an extension of his typical duties as an RA.

"I think that, as an RA, he has a good balance between things he does on the outside and his duties," said Hindinger (sophomore-secondary education).

Hindinger said Sinko makes himself available for his residents.

"He always says, 'hi,' and he lets people know that the door is open if they need it." Hindinger said.

For instance, Sinko said one of his first tasks as an RA was to spend some time with a new international student and help her adjust to life at the University.

Being an RA is a difficult task because it requires a lot of time, in addition to time spent in class and on homework, Sinko said.

"I've been lacking sleep," he said.

Besides maintaining a bulletin board and writing the floor's newsletter, Sinko also organizes five to six programs a semester, performs rounds and attends to the daily needs of his residents. As a result, he only gets about five hours of sleep, he said.

Although few of his residents attend his programs, Sinko said he tries to focus on topics that his residents can use, such as a study skills program.

"It's like pulling teeth most of the time," he said.

Also, Sinko is on duty about once a week and he occasionally has to work weekends when he patrols McKean, Pennypacker and Curtin halls armed with a green notepad and handheld radio.

"You know that you can run into a situation at anytime, so you always have to be ready for anything," he said. "I sit tight because I have to be ready for situations."

When on duty, but not on rounds, Sinko said he spends his downtime doing homework or talking with friends on the telephone.

Sinko said being an RA on his floor does have some awkward moments. Some of the residents on his floor are older than he is. And as a RA in a coed dorm, he finds himself dealing with issues that some RAs don't encounter -- such as dating.

Another challenge that Sinko faces, he said, is maintaining a proper relationship with his residents. It is difficult for him to be an RA and a friend at the same time, he said. If he were to become too close to his residents, he said it would be harder to refer them to the Office of Residence Life when they break the rules.

Although his job can be time-consuming and difficult at times, Sinko said he enjoys it and hopes to continue to be an RA until he graduates.