This my second year being a Resident Assistant here at UNC Asheville, and I can honestly say so far it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life thus far. I always have been the type of person to only open up to the people I got to know better and became close to. I also am an introvert and have to go back to my room to be alone every now and then to recharge. I always knew about Resident Assistants and I knew what they did, but if you asked me if I wanted to be a Resident Assistant when I was in high school, I would have said no. I always thought of Resident Assistants as people who were outgoing extroverts, who were popular, and well known on campus. However, I was very wrong. Like everyday people, Resident Assistants, are both extroverts and introverts, some are shy and outgoing, some are artsy and some are athletic. There isn't one mold for a Resident Assistant. They all have different personalities and different ways of doing things. Believe it or not, there are very many Resident Assistants who are shy and introverted.

I never wanted to be a Resident Assistant until my mind was changed by the impact that my freshman Resident Assistant had on my life. My Resident Assistant would always cheer you up when you had a bad day, greet you with a smile, and just ask how you were doing. He made our hall seem like a family and was always there for each and every resident no matter what. After several conflicts my suite mate, roommate and I had with other individuals, he was always there for an ear to listen and to help us in any way he could. He always knew the right things to say and I felt like he genuinely cared about each and every one of his residents. My Resident Assistant definitely changed my mind about becoming a Resident Assistant. I knew I wanted to help make UNC Asheville a home for incoming students, be a friendly face that residents can come to in a time of need, and plan gatherings and programs in order to build a community. I love to help other people and wanted to pay it forward, by making an impact on someone's life like my Resident Assistant did for me.

One of my favorite parts of being a Resident Assistant is when you see a resident is by themselves a lot of the time, and they seem to never smile and seem to hang their head down and avoid talking to anyone, when you simply remembered their name, smiled at them and started up a conversation with them, they have this big smile on their face and you made their day a whole lot brighter. As a Resident Assistant, when you take that extra step and get to know someone and who they truly are, it can mean so much to them.

Another one of my favorite parts of being a Resident Assistant is not only the community and the family you build in your hall, but the community you build amongst the staff of Programming Assistants and Resident Assistants in your building. My staff both last year and this year are like my family away from home and that is such a great feeling. I always have someone to hang out with, I always have some one to give me advice, and I have so much support from the rest of my staff. Its only been less than a week of training so far and I already have made some lifelong friends.

Being a Resident Assistant will not only give you lifelong friends but it will also give you skills that can follow you in a professional career, such as, assertiveness, how to build healthy relationships, how to deal with conflicts, time management, and even professionalism.

I know being a Resident Assistant can be really stressful and a lot of hard work sometimes, but the rewards definitely outnumber the bad things. Being a Resident Assistant and Programming Assistant this year or so has taught me a lot and helped me to grow as a leader. I now get out of my shell more and am also more confident as a person. I have also touched residents' lives and even made them smile a time or two and that is the most rewarding experience of all. Founders Hall has become like a second home to me and the staff has become like a second family to me. I love my Founders' fam! I highly recommend to everyone to become a Resident Assistant, it will change your life for the better!