RA*Chat Ep 78: I was an RA: The Key is Excitement and Belief! with Brittney Henton

Crystal Lay:
Hello, welcome to Roompact, Res Ed Chat, where we highlight cool people who do cool things and talk about cool stuff in residence life and college student housing. I’m your host, Crystal Lay. I use the she/her series pronouns. Today’s episode is geared toward our RAs and student staff who live and work with our students who live on campus. I am excited about our guest today because I actually had the opportunity to supervise this wonderful human when they were an RA many years ago.
Now it’s exciting for me to reminisce. Don’t know if she’ll stay the same, but I do think that we had a really good supervisory relationship and I learned so much from her. And so I thought she would be a great guest to come in and talk about our topic today, which is really how to engage students in different programmatic opportunities and get them excited about things that you have to offer as a student staff member programmatically. And so with that, I’ll start off by having our guest introduce themselves.

Brittney Henton:
Yay. Thank you, Crystal. My name is Brittany Hinton. Oh gosh, how long ago did I graduate from college? So it has been, I graduated in 2009 with my bachelor’s in journalism, print journalism. And so I was an RA since I was a sophomore, probably. So 2006 I was an RA, and then through when I graduated 2009. And then I also went on to get my master’s degree also at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign in broadcast journalism.
And my life was a whirlwind. I got married, I got a job in journalism at a newspaper, and then once I started having kids, I actually decided to stay at home. The cost of childcare is crazy, and that just led me into the current field I am, which would be education and literacy, working with families to connect them with good children’s books. And I also work part-time as an English tutor at a community college.
So education on multiple ends of the spectrum. And I guess education has just always kind of been who I am. So that’s a little piece of me. Again, I’m married. I have three children, one girl and two boys, and we actually have one on the way. So that’s a little bit about me.

Crystal Lay:
Congratulations. I love that. Yay. Okay, so let’s go right into it. You talked about being an RA. So why did you become an RA? What was the motivation for you?

Brittney Henton:
So I thought a little bit about this. I always enjoy people, getting to know people, so I feel like being able to be a leader and do things for other students just seemed like a draw. In high school, I was in what was called the Young Women’s Leadership Association when I went to Rockford Auburn High School in Illinois. And I don’t know, just always kind of been in these little leadership roles and just with people, and I will say the free room and board was a big draw. I can’t knock that. That was probably a big determining factor as well. But I felt comfortable going for it because just working with people sounded like fun.

Crystal Lay:
I love that. And so you were in journalism, that was your chosen path for your majors. How did you end up in this current piece, right, the literacy piece, the education piece, that seems like a bit of a transition.

Brittney Henton:
Well, when I was in journalism, honestly, I studied to be a journalist and I worked at this newspaper and I was basically the newsroom clerk, so I was the face of the newsroom, but I also did obituaries, which is not as depressing as it sounds. You’re really immersed in all these people’s lives, and it’s actually kind of fascinating. And I did a lot of social media stuff as well for them, and multimedia like video.
But again, when I started having kids, when I had my first daughter, it was kind of like my first choice to stay home necessarily. I actually was going to try to work from home for the newspaper, but they shot me down. So I was like, well, it’s between right now, keeping her in this expensive childcare. I don’t know. I just decided I wanted to also make sure that while my kids were young, that I was a presence, I guess. And it was just hard to send her, it’s hard to go back to work for me after having a little baby. It’s kind of like that separation thing.
So the thing was I wanted to find something that was flexible. How did I end up where I am now? I think I felt like I always wanted to be my own boss because at the newspaper you’re just at the mercy of the boss that you have and the coworkers around you. And sometimes the environment may not be ideal. You may have to work with people that maybe you don’t jive with. I feel like you can get along with everybody. It’s about your attitude, but at the same time, sometimes environments can suck some life out of you.
So I honestly felt like that environment that I was in was, it wasn’t really good for my, I don’t know, mental health in some ways. So it’s just better for me to separate myself. And so then again, I wanted something that was flexible because I had a child, and so actually discovered this. There’s different direct sales companies out there, and technically what I do is a part of a direct selling company, but our mission is to improve the lives of children through literacy. And we have these amazing children’s books.
And so I knew I wanted to engage my kids at home, and education was pushed on me by my mother, and it was very important to me. So before I even got into it, I was already immersed in the world of books for the kids, engaging books. This is a long story I know, but I would go to Toys R Us because they had this wonderful book aisle with all these engaging books. I would always go to the book aisle at Toys R Us and buy my kids these books. And then I discovered this company that had these engaging books, and they were full of life lessons and just helped teach them.
And I was like, “Oh, I’m going to be buying all of these books.” So I decided to actually become a part of it and spread literacy. And I don’t know, it feels like a good fit for me, especially right now, having young children at home. It’s super flexible and I feel like it makes a difference in the lives of families. So yeah, hopefully that thread makes sense.

Crystal Lay:
Totally makes sense, Brittany, and I appreciate you talking about understanding the work environment that makes sense for you, for your wellness, things that you have in your life so you can feel healthy and take care of your family. So it really sounds like priorities. What are my priorities and what’s going to make sense for me? I think that’s a really commendable and amazing process and decision that you made, and your children are benefiting from these really amazing books. And you’re also sharing, again, literacy and reading and engagement with other families, so they can do that. I know I’ve been the recipient of some of your books that you have, and they’ve really enriched my kiddo’s lives. So just saying.
So I want to go back to the RA piece. What are some of the skills that you used as an RA, let you find yourself using in your book company? What’s showing up?

Brittney Henton:
Sure. When I think back to my life as an RA, I feel like I loved programs that involved discussions. So having discussions about, I remember I did one program about love. It was for Valentine’s Day. It was like, what is love? And I just wanted to have a discussion because I felt like it’s something we should talk about. People have different ideas of love, and I remember doing a program on the Jena Six that was a more serious one, but it was just meaningful just to bring information, put the information out there and bring awareness.
So I feel like that love for discussion, maybe it was sparked by being an RA. And so I find myself at times trying to be more brave actually as I was then. I feel like even now in social media, sometimes you might be a little bit guarded what you discussed and what you post because people can be so polarizing what you want to talk about.
But I just feel like that love for discussion, I kind of bring with and the asking questions, I just feel like that’s a part of me as a person, and it comes out in the things that I do, maybe on social media to kind of promote my brand, which really is me. Really, it’s not necessarily about selling a product I’m learning. It’s about just who you are and bringing your authentic self, I feel like, to the table. And I’ve really had the opportunity to explore a lot of that I feel like as an RA and do things that interested me. We could do things, we could kind of do, I think whatever we wanted, not whatever we wanted, but things that really fed our interests. And so it was just a great time to explore that, I don’t know.
And being able to work with different people. I also want to say as an RA and learn, we talk a lot about inclusivity as an RA and words to use and words to stay away from. And I feel like I’ve kept those things as well, just being mindful of saying the word “lame,” which I may have caught myself saying that. And I was like, I don’t say that word. That’s not a word that I say, because that could offend somebody. But people have real feelings and real hardships, and you don’t know what. So I do feel like it’s important to be mindful of what we say, and especially having a child, I have one of my children who has some neurodiversity. So navigating, it’s just kind of full circle. Just being mindful of how you talk about people is important for us. And I feel like that was kind of sparked a lot when I was an RA.

Crystal Lay:
Wow. I heard a couple of things in there. The diversity and inclusivity piece, being mindful of language and potentially the impact. And then that discussion piece. How do you have thought provoking conversations or engaging conversations with folks? And those are definitely things you think about where you’re an RA. And then who am I? Is that question as a college student and just different points in life, who am I? Who do I want to be? And what does it mean to be my authentic self and the spaces that I occupy?
And then in front of an audience, because you talked about social media and watching what you say, and being mindful of that. I think student staff, RAs have to do that too. They talk about the fishbowl, right? I’m in my community, I’m walking across campus. People know I’m an RA. And so being mindful of that balance between authentic self and also impact, I think that could be a little heavy at times. But I also hear you talking about how you utilize that today to this day.
I want to transition a little bit and get more into the programming piece. So I have seen you do some live videos on social media. I know you go to different book fairs and conferences. You are constantly in front of folks. And I think it’s parallels to putting on a program. So what are some tips or things that you have found that would be helpful for RAs to know to make a program or event exciting?

Brittney Henton:
Okay, let’s see. To make it exciting, I think first of all, you have to be excited about it. So I find, again, if I’m really interested in it, then I can get excited about it and I can get other people excited about it. If I believe in it, I feel like you can sell it. You have to believe. Belief is really the first step.
So yeah, I just feel like it boils down to that. And I am thinking of some things that I’ve done just over the years that yes, I feel like every experience has prepared me for the next one. I remember being an ambassador for my company. We have our convention, and it’s so silly. I poked fun at myself about when I was even in school. I was a writer at the newspaper at school that I poked fun about me shopping and being a shopaholic or something.
And then at my convention, they asked for ambassadors for social media ambassadors one year. And my job was to kind of sell the more store, the more stores, the place where you go get the swag, the swag of the company. And I love to shop. I believe in shopping. It’s therapeutic. So it was fun for me. And so your excitement gets other people excited. I just think that’s what it boils down to, believing in what you’re talking about and being excited about it yourself.

Crystal Lay:
So if you’re excited, that can garner additional excitement from participants. Now, I remember when I was an RA, I remember when you were an RA, sometimes folks don’t go to programs and events. How do you stay motivated? If there’s the event where one person shows up or no one shows up and you’ve put so much work into it, how do you work through that? What tips do you have?

Brittney Henton:
Man, as far as tips, I mean, honestly for me, you just keep going. You act like somebody’s watching you, because people are watching you, and sometimes you don’t know they’re watching you. And you show up as your best self, even if you have one person there. Because you and that one person, you could still make an impact on that person that showed up and they deserve, they came. So I feel like they deserve your best.
So I feel like really it’s a mindset, keep going, and then afterward evaluate, okay, what maybe didn’t work here? What should I do next time to get the word out? Get the word out farther in advance or in a different way. Just keep reevaluating. Because every experience, it’s not a failure if you learn something from it. And you can have a good time with just one other person. I’ve gone live and I don’t see anybody on, and I might get nervous, but then I’ve just gotten to the point where I’m like, somebody may come watch it later. So I need to be on all the time.

Crystal Lay:
That is very helpful. I love that someone could watch it later and be on. And then I think there’s a piece about being flexible. If there’s one person there, still do the thing, and maybe you adapt, right? Maybe it’s a conversation versus a big PowerPoint and a big production. I think that being flexible is helpful too.

Brittney Henton:
Absolutely.

Crystal Lay:
And then what did you learn? What can I do differently for next time? So I like that. So when you were an RA, I do want to talk about there are times that were fun and then there’s times that are difficult or were difficult. What advice would you give to RAs who are trying to navigate the ups and downs of the role?

Brittney Henton:
I thought a little bit about this. The first thing that came to mind was communication. It’s always great because sometimes you are struggling. And I think I found that to be my biggest thing was just kind of overextending myself and not feeling like I could do everything. But maybe having more conversations in that process, in the midst of the struggle would’ve been helpful. Having more conversations with my boss before it got to a point where just complete overwhelm.
And I think sometimes we’re afraid to have those conversations when we feel like we’re drowning and we’re struggling. We have to do it all on our own, and we can’t really be vulnerable. We can’t share that because, uh oh, what’s going to happen? What are they going to say? I want to keep my job or whatever.
So I think just communication and honestly, every aspect of life, being a wife, being a mother, navigating transitions, and I have moments of feeling overwhelmed and just being open to like, “Okay, do I need to talk to somebody about this? Who can I talk to? What can I do? Because I can’t stay here just drowning and floundering and not moving forward.” So my biggest piece is just talk to somebody about it. And the people you work with, obviously, if it has to do with your job, being open and honest about what you’re going through.

Crystal Lay:
Thanks for sharing that. And I think supervisory for folks who are newer, which I was at the time, coming right out of grad school and supervising your group for a couple of years, is don’t be a scary supervisor because supervisors want to do everything right. I think just like student staff want to do everything. And so how do you harness that excitement and eagerness into a partnership? Like we are a team, and how do you create a space? RAs, how do you work with your supervisor and see them as someone that can help you? And then any supervisor’s watching, make sure you are approachable in a way that your team knows that they can count on you and you’re going to help them and your team.
And then accountability. I like to think about accountability and compassionate, right? Be compassionate, but also hold folks accountable. And I think that goes for both folks in the supervisory relationship. So thanks for sharing that.
So I want to talk about if there are current RAs who are trying to find a connection between being an RA and their classes and career path. You opened beautifully with talking about some of those threads of, okay, broadcasting literature pieces. It has completely connected in several aspects of your life, personally, professionally, academically. So talk to that one RA and say, “Hey, what is your tip for making this feel seamless between career path and being an RA?”

Brittney Henton:
Oh, this feels hard. Let’s see. I just feel like leaning into every opportunity while you’re an RA. You just never know what’s going to translate into something that will help you in your future. So just lean into all the things. I’m kind of an all the things person. That’s who I am. Just lean into all the things, try the things, do them to the best, learn how to be, because I feel like college though, is a time to explore your interests. And even in college, especially my first year, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. Even when I did journalism, I was like, “Yeah, I’m in journalism, but I picked it because it was something that I knew I could use other places.”
So there was that flexibility with that career. And I’m not in journalism right now per se, but I use research skills and things when I’m in my current fields. And so I feel like being an RA is going to translate to just about everything, because there’s a leadership component that you learn. There’s dealing with people. There’s so many different things. And so I feel like it’s going to translate regardless. Wherever you go, it will translate.

Crystal Lay:
Yes, leadership skills, communication skills, problem solving, connecting with different humans, those are the things that I think you need in most jobs, at the minimum. So you made some really good points. So we’re coming to the end of our time. If there are folks watching that want to learn more about literacy or journalism or… There’s so many things you share, where do you think they should start? Or even putting on an effective program and staying motivated, what do you think?

Brittney Henton:
Where should they start? Connecting with those things or with me. I mean, if you want to connect with me, look me up on Facebook or Instagram. I would love to befriend you. I love people. I don’t know, just any resources I guess near you if you’re looking into journalism, just connecting with the people at your school. I mean, we all use Google. Journalism is so… I kind of have a love hate relationship with it after doing journalism because some people hate the media. And in school, I didn’t see it that way. I felt like we were there for good. I can’t really say.
But for literacy, gosh, I mean, connect with me for sure. I can get you started on that for sure. I would love to help you out with that. Because I just think so many children need that foundation and it would solve so much just for them to have a solid foundation. The kids that I’m working with in college, some of them, I feel like, “Oh, somebody missed a step there.” And if you just read to a child, just read to a child consistently, that just helps them tremendously down the road. It’s been studied. Books. That’s honestly the best thing you can do. So start with me.

Crystal Lay:
Love that. And we will include your information in the show notes for anyone that does want to connect with you. This was such a delightful conversation. Thanks for taking me down memory lane so many years ago.

Brittney Henton:
There’s so many things we didn’t talk about.

Crystal Lay:
Maybe let’s keep it that way.

Brittney Henton:
That might be good.

Crystal Lay:
I was a great supervisor.

Brittney Henton:
Now it was so fun.

Crystal Lay:
So I am so proud of you, so proud of you, and really commend your commitment to making sure that kiddos can learn how to read. Because as you mentioned, that’s such an important part of their development, and it’s how we navigate the world. And so it’s such a really important topic. And then I love the pieces you shared about programmatic, and you made it so easy believing in the events and being excited and how that can help other folks show up and be excited as well.
I just want to thank everyone today who joined us on this episode of Res Ed Chat geared at our RAs. And then as usual, if you have an idea for a topic or a human that you would like us to connect with, please, please let us know by reaching out to Roompact. Thanks again to you, Brittany.

Brittney Henton:
Thanks, Crystal.

Crystal Lay:
Yes, and everyone, y’all take care.