The biggest variable is your D’s temperament: how will she take to being the shoulder to cry on, the mediator, the problem solver, the enforcer? How much are RA’s expected to do at her school? One of the collegekids was an RA on a floor of first years. Lots of trouble shooting, support for settling into college life, etc, but she felt useful, enjoyed knowing everything that was going on and seeing the first years going from ‘scared rabbits’ (her term) to confident (young) adults. I was an RA on a floor of final years- super easy! One grad school admissions melt down & one pregnancy crisis and that was it. The rest was just organizing the seasonal set pieces. Loved having the extra cash. A daughter by another mother collegekid was RA, and then head of the RAs, over 3 years. She worked hard for that room & board but 1) she was really well suited to it- very calm, very steady, by nature a no-nonsense but kind hearted soul and 2) it was the difference of being able to graduate w/o debt and she was keenly aware from Day 1 what the benefit was to her for all the various drama she dealt with.
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