Oh, those students...

A few weeks ago, we had a Living Learning Community (LLC) Fair for prospective Resident Assistants. Each LLC had its own table with a display board and a more or less enthusiastic staff member explaining to candidates what their LLC was all about.

I wasn't having the world's greatest day - I was worried about one of my friends, had a pretty bad nose bleed earlier that day (for no apparent reason), hadn't eaten anything since breakfast (this was in the late afternoon/early evening), was tired and grumpy. I just made it to the fair on time, put up my display boards (I had two...one from last year and one from the year before...I've updated them a little), turned on my laptop (I was showing a slide show of pictures from events) - and was immediately bombarded by candidates.

I smiled and answered one question after the other. I soon had this five-sentence description about my LLC down, repeating it over and over again. Smiling, asking if candidates had any other questions, and making sure to restart the slide show every few minutes.

It was interesting to observe the candidates. Some seemed genuinely interested in my LLC; some were just there because they thought they had to but didn't do a good job at hiding that; others were trying to suck up - desperate to get an RA job in any LLC. I don't like "suck-ups"...I think if you do a good job, there's no reason for you to suck up.

I was talking to a group of women - asking them what they had heard about my LLC - when one of my own residents came up to me. This was a resident that I had several interactions with before - we had found alcohol in his room (it was his roommate's) and he needed guidance on how to navigate our judicial process; he also had some roommate issues that I tried to help him with. He's also one of those students, who always says hi, asks how my weekend has been or how my day is going, and goes out of his way to talk to me.
As soon as the women left, I turned toward my resident and said, "So what do you know about the CHANGE Living Learning Community?" I'd started every conversation like that and thought he would pick up on my sarcastic, joking tone of voice.
Oh, I was so wrong.
I didn't even notice it though. He said, looking a little confused, "Well, I live there" and I responded - still in a joking tone of voice - "Obviously. I was just wondering what you think about CHANGE from a residents' perspective."

I hadn't thought about this conversation until tonight. Apparently, this student had now joined Community Council - something I had recommended to gain some valuable experience and become more active in the community. When talking to one of the RAs working with the council, this resident explained that he had joined the council because - at the LLC Fair - I didn't recognize him, which made him think that he needed to have more of a presence in the hall. HUH!?!

Part of me thinks I should be insulted or concerned that he thinks I don't recognize him. I'd have to be blind not to see him and notice him when he's hanging around my office, e-mailing me with tons of questions and setting up meetings to discuss some drama in his life.
Part of me just wants to laugh. How could he not notice my sarcastic tone? This is just too ridiculous.

I think I'll go with laughing.