You asked:

My RA wrote me up for drinking the other night. Come on, let’s get real. Everyone drinks in college, right? Why am I getting picked on?

Getting written up by an RA is frustrating, no matter what the issue is. But before running away with the idea that your RA is singling you out, honestly answer these questions:

• Are you of legal drinking age? Are you 21 or older? If you’re not of age, it’s against the law. An RA who comes upon a party that involves underage drinking can’t just look away. If you choose to drink, be accountable for your actions.

• Is it legal for your guests to drink? Most dorms have a policy that if a resident of age has an open beverage in the room, then no person underage may be present. This rule isn’t meant to hurt you, but to clarify that anyone under 21 who is present may be held responsible for drinking. If this is an issue with your roommate, be sure to talk to the person about when and where it is appropriate to drink and store alcohol.

• Were you at a big party? Get a bunch of people together, and chances are that the number of people in the room or apartment exceeds the fire code. Or, another resident in the dorm could have complained about the noise level, and your RA could have been the one required to break up the party and enforce policy.

• Were there drinking games? Many schools have strict rules against drinking games. They are considered to be high-risk activities during which mass quantities of alcohol are consumed in a short period of time. Such games are usually present when a lot of people are around, and so the noise level tends to soar.

• Were you vomiting or visibly inebriated? If you were stumbling or throwing up, well, that’s a problem. In many dorms, the RA is responsible for contacting the appropriate maintenance crew to clean up the mess, and disorderly conduct disrupts students who live on your hall. Being too intoxicated to take care of yourself means your RA may have to step in. Many RAs have saved residents’ lives by sending to them to the hospital when alcohol poisoning was a very real concern.

• Did you argue with the RA? When your RA came to write you up, were you combative? Cooperative and compliant behavior is often a plus in these situations. Sit down and talk professionally with your RA after things have had time to settle down. He or she can explain why you were written up. If you’re not satisfied with the explanation, you can ask for the superior’s contact information and make a complaint.

Name: Sarah Arsenoff
School: UNC Wilmington
Year: Senior
Major: Marine Biology
Her Deal: This is Sarah's third year as an R.A. for freshmen and international students. She writes for Periplus, a university newsletter for students who, like her, are in the honors scholars program.

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