Promising Practices
The perfect TA has boundaries. They know who they are, they know what they are supposed to do - what they're responsible for - but also what they are not responsible for. For example, a TA is not responsible for the mental health or well-being of their students and therefore shouldn't try to become their therapist, parent, priest or girlfriend/boyfriend.
It's important to remember that while this may be your first opportunity
to help students in a concrete way, it is also an experience that can
help you set and maintain boundaries that will be useful to you in your
future career. Should you decide to join the professoriate then you could
face very serious professional issues teaching students who are maybe
only ten years younger than yourself unless you know how to maintain authority
and limiting your personal involvement. As a TA you are beginning to be
the professor you may eventually become. You get to choose right now what
kind of person you want to be.