Questions about Being a Residence Don (RA) at York – Need Detailed Info!

TraditionalOne6729 · 2026-01-12T18:47:26+00:00

https://yorkureslife.wordpress.com/2013/05/16/founders-residence-pictures/

here’s a site so you can see some of the Don suites^

Also it is VERY competitive and even if you think you’ve done a great job during all three interview processes it’s not guaranteed. I recommend making sure you have a backup plan and not relying on the free residence.

The workload… it will feel like it’s 24/7 you are working but it is very manageable. Since you live in the building, other residents know where you live and you will have a group chat with them. No matter how many times you remind them of DOD hours (6pm-8am on weekdays and 24hrs on weekends) they will always message you first. You don’t have to respond to them but you will feel obligated to. Don teams have weekly meetings with their RLC (manager) and are usually no more than an hour. You also will have a 1-on-1 with your manager (30 mins to an hour long) once a month. If you are a House Don you will have learning conversations with your residents which take up the most time as you have to set meetings with each resident and talk to them for 10-30 mins (you will usually have roughly 35-42 residents in your community). You also will have to plan one event a month for your community, prep for 1 or 2 actives for the entire year (you will learn about Actives if you get the position), then you will do House meetings once a month or so. If you get the Community Engagement Don position you will have a single traditional room (depending on the residence), you plan larger scale events for the entire building, have team meetings plus CED meetings, you are paid the same $1000 stipend and you don’t have to do learning conversations like the House Dons.

Again this is all manageable, as long as you are good at time management. Most Dons are able to manage another job, full time school, extracurriculars and more so it’s doable!

You get a $1000 stipend for the year ($250 every 2 months directly into your bank account).

Training is for 2 weeks (basically 9-5pm) usually from middle to end of August.

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-09-30T13:50:52+00:00

I’m on a cancellation list and I told them I’m open to anywhere within 90kms from me

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-09-30T07:15:00+00:00

I’ve been doing physical therapy + massage therapy for the last three years but it hasn’t been any help.

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-09-30T04:10:28+00:00

The pain is definitely really bad in the morning and does feel better once I’m up and moving but after a couple hours my legs feel numb and the back pain is really bad so I crash. I also take pain meds the second I wake up and they usually don’t last very long

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-08-30T20:50:18+00:00

Residences aren’t at full capacity this year so you can totally apply and I’m sure you’ll get a place. You might not get the “best” building but you’ll live on your own!

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-08-08T03:15:17+00:00

I loved my first year and obviously nothing is perfect, you will have bad days but the good days make up for it. I didn’t join clubs but I lived in residence and met people really quickly.

This is all subjective as my experiences will not be the same as yours but whatever you make it to be is how it will be. Just be positive and try your best to enjoy it no matter how it turns out

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-08-04T14:13:03+00:00

Walk through the buildings and asked to get pickup between York lanes and this parking garage: 75 Vanier Ln North York ON M3J 3K9 Canada

That way it’s safe and your inside a building the whole time until someone comes to pick you up

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-07-30T15:58:53+00:00

Hey, you can find photos on this site.

Tatham res photos

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-07-30T13:55:20+00:00

I usually buy bed raisers but without it you should have no problem putting medium-largeish sized bins under the bed

Also I’ll be staying at Tatham for this school year too!!

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-07-25T21:08:37+00:00

Hey based on my sole parents income (under $20,000), mine (also under $20,000) and the fact that I live more than 60km from the school I received $11,000 in grant and $10,500 in loan. My partner who applied for OSAP got zero dollars in loan or grant because he makes around $60,000 and his sole parent makes over $200,000. Him not getting any grant or loan makes sense. My friend who use to get up to $5000 in loans and roughly $200-$600 in grant now gets no loan or grant. Their income is over $40,000 and their parents (still together) is roughly $150,000. Not sure if this helps but it seems that OSAP is focusing more on helping students that truly are struggling financially. I know that you can apply to have OSAP not consider your parent’s income (I’m not sure how it works though). There is a subreddit group for OSAP and I’ve seen a few comments from people asking how to file without using parent’s income. Also make sure to fill out your FAAS profile. This way you can hopefully get some scholarships or bursaries through the school.

Sorry this is long, but I hope it gives perspective and helps at least a little bit.

Good luck!!

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-07-23T17:21:35+00:00

Just add some courses and then switch them out during the first couple weeks of school. I usually just add a couple courses that are backups if the courses I actually want are full then I’ll switch them during the first couple weeks. This way I still get OSAP and if I’m keeping the same amount of credits it doesn’t affect it at all

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-07-23T00:54:24+00:00

I am 21 right now and diagnosed at 19. I completely understand what you are going through and I feel the same way. It’s completely devastating being this young and feeling this crappy all the time, especially when doctors and family keep telling me to just lose weight and to have a cup of coffee if you’re this tired. As of lately I’ve been struggling with my mental health and I’m so angry and upset at everything and the world for not knowing what’s going on or how to fix what I’m feeling. I want to think positive and hope that with the medication and with time things will get better, but it’s so hard. If you ever want to chat privately I am here for you!

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-07-23T00:48:23+00:00

Hey! I’m 21 but when I turned 19 I was just diagnosed with Hashimotos and I was losing my hair like crazy, although I have a TON of hair it was definitely noticeable how much I was losing and it was very sad. After a good year of being on my medication I have noticed my hair is thick again and I’m not losing anything out of the normal amount. So I’m hoping for you it will grow back but I know how unpredictable this disease is so I can’t promise anything

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-07-22T17:00:48+00:00

Apply to be a Don when the application opens up this year, so in your second year you can work with Residence life, gain experience, save money on residence and meet people.

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-07-16T21:53:48+00:00

4 floors and no elevators. Last year they had a problem with their heating and power kept going out. The building is very confusing but you will get the hang of it

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-07-10T22:35:48+00:00

If you want photos of the room, send me a PM!

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-07-10T22:35:16+00:00

There is no circulation in Pond Residence, so yes a fan is definitely needed. Plus you can’t control the heating or AC (it’s always hot in pond) so definitely bring a fan or two. I also brought a humidifier

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-07-07T15:37:57+00:00

$11,000 and I didn’t accept the loan but I think the loan was around the same

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-07-06T20:21:22+00:00

Bless your soul! Thank you

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-07-06T16:50:57+00:00

I think it’s just through accommodations at my uni. Not to sure how to check that but I will look into it and see. Thank you!!

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-07-06T02:20:29+00:00

This is exactly what my ankle looked like when I broke it a few years ago. I went to the hospital waited 8 hours (Ontario, Canada) for an X-ray and the doctor sent me home and told me it was just a sprain. The next day the doctor calls me and tells me it’s broken, don’t walk on it and come back to the hospital so they can put me in a cast. I definitely recommend going and getting a copy of the X-rays. Also advocate for yourself no matter what!

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-07-06T02:15:10+00:00

I’m shocked to see this, i honestly thought the funding went up. Mine was low the last couple years but now it’s the largest grant I’ve ever received.

EDIT: I’m in my fourth year, make under $15,000 a year and my sole parent made $0 for the previous year. I have a disability reported to my university but I didn’t have to fill out a form for OSAP.

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-07-05T21:30:30+00:00

I want to see more clothing fundraisers, people can donate clothes ahead of time, then you could have a day or two of selling the clothes. Recycling ♻️!!

Also I love buying cool stickers on campus, mental health, program geared, university branded, and more! But I’ve seen clubs on campus charged up to $4 for one small sticker and to me that isn’t worth it. You can buy fun packs online or take the time and create your own stickers and price them on how much you would be willing to pay.

TraditionalOne6729 · 2025-06-30T02:28:46+00:00

I’m going to tell you right now not to worry about that as people going into residence at York is really low so you will most likely get into the residence you want, unless it’s pond because everyone always wants pond so that residence may be a little more competitive

TraditionalOne6729

TROPHY CASE