(five) or how the office of residential life will always be my favorite

By far, one of my favorite things about Bryn Mawr would be the Office of Residential Life. This is my second year being a Hall Advisor for the college, and although my reapplication came from wanting to be an HA again, a huge part of it also came from wanting to work closely with Angie Sheets and ViAnna Bernard, the Director and Assistant Director, respectively.

IMG_6124(Above are ViAnna and Angie during the senior cruise last year. I think this photo about sums up their relationship.)

Being in college, I’ve grown to love certain professors, facility, and staff as friends. With Angie and ViAnna, I’ve been blessed to also consider them role models. Whenever anything horrible happens (and in college, it seems to happen more frequently, with greater urgency, and in emotional isolation than when living with my parents), they are always the first ones I try to seek out for advice and comfort. Although at first I was a bit wary to let my ‘bosses’ into my personal life, I realized that their check in’s came from a place of caring and compassion, not a technical formality that they had to get out of the way before business began.

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(Although business does begin! Above are my two favorites doing hard work at their cozy office spaces. These are not posed. They only cleaned off their desks briefly before allowing me to do a quick photo shoot.)

I know that Bryn Mawr has always prided itself on being an environment where students form close relationships with members of the administration, but I didn’t realize how true it was. Honestly, I cherish and value my relationships with ViAnna and Angie along side relationships I have been forming since childhood. There is something about knowing that even if everything feels really horribly, I have two amazing mentors at arms reach who really do care about me as an individual, and constantly encourage me to put myself and my needs first.

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(Also it’s really great if you need a laugh because Angie and ViAnna are a hoot. I’ve cried multiple times from laughter- and trust me, that’s really a cure all.)

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(Plus they always have candy in their offices. ALWAYS. No matter what, and no judgements. Is it 10am on a Thursday and you’re eating a snickers? No problem, no questions.)

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Overall, I’ve learned how to be a stronger leader, a better person, and hopefully a role model myself through them. All in all, I’ve learned from ViAnna and Angie to do all things with love.

2 thoughts on “(five) or how the office of residential life will always be my favorite

  1. This essay just cheered me greatly. I’m a Mawrtyr parent, and I’m not sure- but the author may have been my daughter’s HA in ’15-’16. I found this post while looking for the Res. life phone number. Angela’s right; there is a lot of urgency to the crises that come in college. I think the phrase “in loco parentis” has faded from the college lexicon, but now that I’m the parent of a college student I like the idea of such good people working in such an important office.

    • I believe that I was her HA- if you’re related to E. who is now a sophomore?

      Hello! I’m glad that you liked my post. Honestly, Reslife is by far my favorite office on campus because of the people who work in it. I know that even when I graduate I’ll be able to talk to ViAnna and Angie and they will still give me love and respect.

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