Tag: campus

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Kaitlyn at Cross

An important part of the freshman housing experience is made possible by resident assistants. As my peers and I are beginning to look at housing options for our sophomore year, many are choosing to apply for positions as RAs. Today I talked to Kaitlyn Reichenberger, my RA for freshman year. 

Kaitlyn is a sophomore from Dallas, Texas. Her life on campus includes studying psychology, organizing Campus Activities Council’s Film Series, and working as an RA in Cross. As with many students, becoming an RA was a good option for Kaitlyn to pay for housing.

“I was working as a room and board student,” Kaitlyn explained, recounting her freshman experience. “I worked in Headington Hall, and I hated it.”

Becoming an RA was a better option than working a scheduled job in housing and food. 

Kaitlyn’s interactions with her RA as a freshman also contributed to her decision. 

“I had a good relationship with my RA,” she said. “I learned how to do my job and not be up in everyone’s business.”

Katilyn felt equipped for the position thanks to some of her other freshman experiences as well.

“Just dealing with a lot of issues,” she said. “My roommate complained to me, and I would be like, ‘oh, you should do this’.”

The position matches up with her personality, too.

A self-described “helper”, Katilyn loves her role as an RA.

“I take care of people. I’m a big sister. My siblings, I’m like their mother, and it’s fun to have that here too.”

Kaitlyn is happy living without a roommate. She likes having her own space. The people on our floor make her job more enjoyable as well.

“Our floor is the calmest floor in Cross,” she reported.

One downside to the job is dealing with parents. 

“I get calls at the desk all the time from parents.”

Sometimes this is over things as small as a mom worrying that it’s already eleven o’clock in the morning and her son still hasn’t texted her back.

“Either that or having to deal with loud people,” Kaitlyn added. Luckily that does not happen too often on our floor. 

Another fulfilling part of the job is the connections Kaitlyn has made with other RAs.

“There’s some people in Cross staff that I have a great relationship with…it’s nice having friends that you work with.”

The girls on Cross 4A are definitely lucky to have such a friendly upperclassman looking out for us!

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Boomer Biker

Kaylee Wimberly does not have to walk thirty minutes across campus as many freshmen do. Instead, she rides her bike. From bike lanes to bike lockers, Kaylee told me all about having a bike on campus.

Kaylee did not originally bring her bike to campus, but after a few twenty-five minute hikes in the hundred-degree weather, Kaylee had her mom bring one of her bikes down to Norman. Luckily she left the orange one at home. 

Since she had already been on campus for a couple of weeks, Kaylee was well aware of how often bike theft occurs on campus. 

“I was so stressed I literally talked to a police officer,” Kaylee recounted. 

When he told her she might as well take her bike back home, it did not reassure her very much. So far, though, Kaylee’s bike has stayed safe and sound.

“I got a bike locker, and it makes me feel more secure.” 

What exactly is a bike locker?

“Those green dingy looking things outside the residence halls. It does not feel secure, but this is better than having it out tied to a rack.”

When we made it over to the bike lockers, the dismantled bike on the rack nearby could attest to this. 

Before she could get her bike locker, Kaylee had to register her bike.

“I had to know so much info about my bike. Serial number, color, brand, model, size of the wheels…”

So there is a learning curve to having a bike on campus. Another example of this is when Kaylee could not find a bike rack for her class in Wagner Hall.

“I tied it to a tree a couple times. Then I realized that was illegal.”

Luckily, her bike did not get picked up by the police, and now she just ties it to the rack at the union. 

Kaylee has not had any dangerous incidents on her bike yet. When she first started riding around campus, she was scared of running over people. Now, she admits, she has become a little ruthless. People shouldn’t walk in the bike lane. Luckily, when it comes to the scooters and skateboards she shares the bike lane with, everyone is pretty respectful. 

However, the closest calls Kaylee has had on her bike have been with the infamous campus squirrels. They are even worse than confused freshmen when it comes to getting out of the way. 

“One time this squirrel actually got closer to me. I’m slowing down, and he just keeps coming.”

Kaylee brought her bike to campus for practical purposes, but biking has become a hobby as well. 

“In the evenings, if I’ve been out for a while, I could just ride straight back to the dorm, but no. It’s nice to just cruise around the south oval.”

All in all, Kaylee’s campus biking experience has been a good one.