Photo courtesy of theodysseyonline.com
Natalie Kinney | Reporter | nkinney@butler.edu
This is the latest installment of our Bulldog of Butler series, which is a short interview with someone to get to know more about them. We hope to highlight more and more people on this campus. Go to our website to read more stories about your fellow Dawgs.
Junior Jazmine Bowens describes her adventures as the Resident Assistant of Unit 15 and gives us a taste of what “Ross Love” really means.
Photo courtesy of Jazmine Bowens’ Facebook
Q&A with Jazmine Bowens
From: Indianapolis, Indiana
Major: Psychology with pre-med
Year: Junior
The Butler Collegian: Where did you live as a freshman?
Jazmine Bowens: I lived in Virginia; I transferred here my sophomore year. My first year, I went to an all-girls school.
TBC: How was that?
JB: It was good. I liked it. It wasn’t how people may think—catty, or all the girls against each other. It was really nice. We were all there to help one another. It was smaller than [Butler’s] freshman class. It was 1,000 kids.
TBC: Was that experience similar to being an RA on an all-girls floor here in Ross?
JB: Kind of, the sisterhood is there. The whole “girls going against each other” isn’t really a thing in an all-girl unit. You think that all girls would be terrible, but I feel like they like it.
TBC: So, what made you decide to be an RA this year?
JB: I like to get to know new people. And sometimes that’s hard to do if you’re not actively involved in a group. I’d be lying if I said money wasn’t a thing. You get free room and board. My RAs were good my sophomore year, but my freshman year I had terrible RAs so I thought, “I can do better than that,” and I am.
Photo courtesy of www.udei.edu
TBC: What is it like being an RA for specifically first years?
JB: I feel like it’s better. First years don’t really need you now, but sophomore year they especially don’t need you. I think it’s easier to build community with first years because they’re more eager because they don’t have a community yet.
TBC: With that, could you describe the craziest experience you’ve had while being in charge of a large group of first years?
JB: OK, we have to do rounds and I always get stuck with another girl RA, which is not bad. But we have to go into the guys’ bathroom to make sure no one’s dead or passed out. So, I call out, “RA on duty.” That gives someone inside an opportunity to cover up. And I will walk into the guys’ bathroom, and they will just be exposed. Just completely, unapologetically exposed. And I’m just standing there wondering why. I will ask them questions and they will be using their hands and I’m like, if you can use your hands why can’t you use them to cover yourself? So, that’s the craziest thing I’ve experienced. I felt like they would want to cover themselves.
TBC: Would you be an RA again next year?
JB: Yes, for sure. I’m really hoping I am.
TBC: What is the most rewarding part of your job?
JB: Just seeing residents and hearing them saying “hey” to me. Or being invited into their room and making sure they know that they at least have you as a friend so no one ever has to worry or feel alone. It adds to the welcoming Butler community.
