Name: Liz Myers
Major: Nursing
Year: Junior
Hometown: Lakeville, Minnesota
Nursing students like Liz Myers account for some of the busiest students at Belmont. On top of the demanding classes and coursework the nursing major requires, Myers was asked to take on the job as an RA smack dab in the middle of her sophomore year. She maintained her position as an RA for two semesters before taking a break to focus on her studies and Love Your Melon, an organization which raises money for pediatric cancer. Check out my interview with Myers to learn more about her experience as an RA and what she learned from it.
Why did you choose Belmont?
I chose Belmont mostly for the nursing program. Belmont is essentially located in the heart of Nashville, which is surrounded by a medical hub. We do a lot of our medical work through Saint Thomas as well as Vanderbilt, which are two top hospitals. We learn from them and get to work with their staff, which usually leads to jobs.
What do you like about living in Nashville?
I love Nashville. It’s a great college town. It’s a great town to live in, in general. I love music, it’s fun to be here, and it’s beautiful.
Why did you become an RA?
I love pouring love into the people I meet. I love hearing people’s stories and getting to know people on a personal level. Coffee dates are one of my favorite things. I love one-on-one human interaction and digging deeper into the lives of people because you get to learn a lot about them. You really do see it all. A lot of things that people don’t necessarily know happen you are firsthand witnessing. It was really interesting to, as a nursing major, incorporate that into my job.
What else are you involved with?
I manage the Belmont women’s soccer team and travel with them. I’m pretty much their mom. Some of them call me the “soccer mom.” I am also the “Crew Captain,” aka the president of Love Your Melon here at Belmont, which does pediatric cancer research and we work with the national Love Your Melon organization.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to be an RA?
Don’t be afraid to mess up, because we all mess up. Don’t be afraid of confrontation and hard conversations, because they’re going to happen. If you’ve never had leadership experience, being an RA is a great place to find it.
What did you learn about yourself during your experience as an RA?
I learned that I do have limits. I’m definitely more of an introverted person rather than an extroverted person, which is something I realized when I was an RA. Another big thing is that people don’t all come from the same background. So what I’ve learned about myself is to open my mind a little bit more, which is a huge thing for me.
Originally published on HerCampus.com
