RA Interview: Naidely Romo

Interviewers: Christopher Wang & Jade Iry

Interviewee: Naidely Romo

Naidely is the head resident assistant (RA) of the Grey Havens building in COSMOS. This year was her third year working as an RA. She grew up in Los Angeles, with a heavy Mexican cultural influence due to her parent’s Mexican heritage, as well as living next to much of her extended family. Growing up, she enjoyed practicing many Mexican traditions in a very family-oriented environment.  

What is your major?

I’m majoring in education at UCI, and I have a minor in bilingual education. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher since I was young, and I found that UCI had a school of education. I’m planning to teach dual immersion school after you graduate.

When did you know that you wanted to study education?

I knew since I was little that I wanted to major in education. When I was young, I saw my teachers’ behavior and was stunned by the impact they had on their students. In middle school, I started tutoring and helping out my peers academically. When college started, I had more opportunities to teach students of different ages. I enjoyed it, so I knew I wanted to pursue education as a major. 

Why did you want to work as an RA at Cosmos? What have you learned from being an RA at COSMOS?

I enjoy that each year is unique. The students and RA’s are always different. Initially, I was in need of a summer job but I also wanted to work with kids, and that’s why COSMOS caught my eye. In the second year, I returned, wanting to create better experiences for the COSMOS students.

What do you like about the COSMOS program? Do you have any clusters that you think would be interesting for you?

My first year of COSMOS was for my field work. For my major, I need 40 hours of field work, which is being in a classroom environment. I did work for what wasCluster 4 at the time, which has now evolved into Cluster 10. The cluster was related to engineering, and I enjoyed the hands-on activities a lot.

Do you have any advice for COSMOS students when it comes to applying for college? What about going through college?

Doing research on lots of different schools is very important when applying to college. It’s important to research the student environment and life around every school you apply to. There are also factors such as population and public transportation. Most students focus solely on the education aspect of a school, but taking time to consider what the experience of going to that school would be like is equally as important. 

While going through college, it can be hard at first due to a vastly different environment. 

My advice is to make sure to call home or visit family. A family is a good support system for a challenging experience like college. Making friends and having a support system on campus is very important too!

What are your hobbies?

One of my main hobbies is dance. I love to dance because of my Mexican family. We dance traditional Mexican dances, and I like hip-hop too. I’ve been in dance teams since a young age. Even in college, I’ve joined a dance team. I also enjoy painting, though I don’t consider myself to be a very good painter.

What is your favorite food?

My favorite food is enchiladas, specifically the red ones. I also love carbonara. 

What has been your favorite and least favorite meal at Brandywine during the 3+ weeks we’ve had at COSMOS?

A favorite meal from Brandywine, specifically, for the last 3 weeks, has been the chicken tenders.

My least favorite food at Brandywine is the chicken, rice, and vegetables. It just seems like a repeated dish to me.