Resident Assistants are those people that live in your hall or suite and make sure you follow the rules and adjust well to residence life. True...but there is way more to us, I promise. If you would have asked me if I wanted to be a resident assistant back in high school, I would have given you a sharp no. Let's face it though, college is expensive! After my freshman year I decided to apply to be a resident assistant. I needed the money. I got the position and I was extremely happy. Then I got to training week and I knew I was in over my head. There is so much work to being a resident assistant. You are responsible for so much. I swear the packet was the size of a lab manual, maybe even bigger. I had to know the housing rules inside and out, know where we evacuate to if there is a fire, etc. As I sat there thinking that I didn't really know if I could do it or not, I realize now that I was never prepared for the lifelong friendships and the rewarding experience behind being an RA either.

The school year began and I had all the cute little door decks up with their names on them and I had my floor meeting ready to go. Once I had the floor meeting, I met all "my girls." Towards the end of the semester...I created so many friendships among my hall. I had one girl start to open up and she would give us sweet little gifts and knit us cute things. Some of my girls would all get together and have tv show marathons in their room and all the girls in my hall got along well with each other. I remember the nights when some girls would come to me to talk about anything and everything.

The second semester was just like the first one too. I was excited to see how far the girls were going to go in life once this semester ended. We even got together and had one last pizza party and made a sign that states, "We came as strangers and we leave as friends," but when I was checking everyone out, I seriously had a sad moment... I cried so hard that night in my room once everyone was completely gone. I went from scared to be an RA to totally in love with being one. I still stay in contact with my girls and we all support one another.

I can't wait to continue on as a Resident Assistant at Southern Miss. The position is so rewarding and a great opportunity to learn from each other. I have already started to get to know the others RAs and they are fantastic and super sweet. This will be a new journey for me as an RA, but I know I will love it and I will remember all the wonderful things being an RA brings. I am not looking forward to the day I have to stop being an RA.