Third Time's the Charm? Interviewed Again

Tuesday night marked my third round of the carousel interview process of becoming a residence advisor. It is not part of the process that occurs once you KNOW you are an advisor, but rather part of the process leading up to one of the following three points of contact:

1. The phone call: You've got it! You will hear from the Residence Life Manager of the residence area that you have been assigned to, and will be informed that you've been offered a position to be an advisor the following academic year.
2. The "who knows what might happen" e-mail: You have been placed on the alternate list; it is not a "no", but it is not a "yes". Based on others accepting their offers, and the retraction of some of those offers throughout the next several months, you may be hired later on. This will be dependent upon how your conveyed personality and attributes (during the interview process), along with perhaps your schedule, will complement a tentative team of advisors that has lost one of its members through one of the aforementioned processes.
3. The e-mail: You have not been offered a position as a residence advisor. There were many applicants and many strong contenders, but unfortunately what was collected through the decision-making process did not leave you competitive above those who were hired.

This year's interview felt different than the two before it, as I went into it without expectations about what was going to happen after. I was not trying hard to impress anyone with my bouncy personality and peppy, cheery tone; I was simply being me, and presenting my honest assets and what I felt were the contributions I could bring to a team. Additionally, I had gone in without 100% commitment to the idea of being an advisor - a large part of me wants to, because I think it is a path that would fulfill me and lead me towards something I could really enjoy doing for the first part of my life (whatever it is); another part of me is resistant to the moderate control over my schedule (required to be "in" 4 nights every week). That is the biggest concern, I think, which goes hand-in-hand with being placed where they think I am suited which will most definitely be far from that guy I'm fond of.

I have several other opportunities: Peer Wellness Coach, Wellness Peer, UBC REC, Residence Hall Association (take 3), amongst other things that may arise; more feedback and interviews still lie ahead.

The usual order of events goes like this:

- Apply for residence lottery

- Apply for advising

- Get placed around 2,500 on the residence waitlist

- Hear that I have been "alternate listed" for advising

- Go for council instead

- Get council position

In less than two weeks I will hear about residency, and advising by the end of February. In the beginning of February I will hear about interviews and more applications to fill out.

The next couple of months will be full of craziness and elections and tests and fun times and frustrating times, I am sure. I look forward to finding out what may happen.

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As a celebration for my third interview being completed, we decided to go out for dinner - I wasn't wanting super filling food, but I was hungry and had not eaten very much, so I thought of a place I had been wanting to share with my fella: Nūba!

Halloumi Cheese, pita, Garden Falafel

Not pictured: Najib's Special (crispy cauliflower tossed with lemon and sea salt)

Dessert: Various baklava - vegan varieties!