Why Did I Apply?

There are two reasons why I applied for the Kuwanoki RA. One is that I lived overseas until high school and entered Okayama University as an “international student”, although I am Japanese. For the first six months after I entered the university, I lived in International Student Shared House. I had not been in Japan for a long time and was very anxious due to reverse cultural shock and change in environment. If I, a Japanese person, was feeling so anxious, my international friends who enrolled with me and international students who enrolled in other programs must be even more anxious. I was looking for a position where I could provide emotional support to international students, I found an opening for the Kuwanoki RA and applied.
The other reason is admiration. I applied for the job because I admired the RAs at the time who spoke kindly to me when I was full of anxiety at the welcome party and orientation for entering the dormitory. I wanted to be like them, and I wanted to work with them to make the dormitory more exciting.

What I’ve Learned and Gained from Being an RA

What I learned from living in the dormitory is the importance of leadership and communication. I became Kuwanoki RA and had to be in charge of events and operations. In the beginning, I had never been a leader or in charge of operations, so I sometimes made mistakes and caused trouble for other Kuwanoki RAs and people in the International Affairs Department, but I learned the importance of having the ability to take action to plan and organize people and things. In addition, I have gained new knowledge in communication not only with the international students, but also with other people from the Kuwanoki RA and the International Affairs Department, and I have become more aware of how my comments are understood by others and the importance of summarizing them clearly when I speak.

What I have gained is that I have met people who accept me for who I am. I am Japanese, but when I entered university, I felt an invisible “wall” between me and others. Perhaps it was because I came from a different background, but I was unable to make friends outside the faculty. However, the other Kuwanoki RAs talked to me without distinction and understood me. From there, I gained confidence in myself and was able to go to new environments and meet new people. Most of the RAs who entered the dormitory with me have graduated, but we still keep in touch with each other. I was able to meet people that I will cherish in the future.

Message to Applicants

For me, Kuwanoki RA is a place where I was able to grow up with precious memories that I will never forget. If you are interested, please try it out. I’ll be rooting for you every step of the way! I wish you a wonderful life as a Kuwanoki RA!