"You will be fortunate in everything you put your hands to."

Last night was the Future RA Information Meeting, as in, they gave us information and answered questions about being an RA. I went mostly because Loquatia went; I don't need the money particularly (it's not like the money that my dad's saved to cover room and board that I don't spend will go to me directly, it'll just be saved for med school later- nice, but not crucial), and I figured I was going to be too shy to be an effective RA. But my RA was talking, and he explained that he's shy too- maybe not as cripplingly as I am but certainly shy, and he did fine.

Then the RA from the fourth floor was talking about how she was really introverted, and how being an RA kinda forced her to put herself out there and learn to interact with people and be friendly. At which point I'm quite sure my ears, despite not having the necessary muscles to perform this function, pricked up.

Because honestly, I can handle the responsibility- I don't drink or use drugs anyway, so I have no moral issues with slamming the kids who do. I can follow instructions as to how to handle situations, and I can be a good listener, when I want to be. And the time commitment-- you have to be in the hall 20 hours a week, even if it's just in your room with the door open-- is also a non-issue, since I counted how much of my time was spent in the dorm this week and it was like 30 hours during the week alone, not counting the weekends. None of that is an issue for me. But with my social anxiety I figured it wasn't worth it, I'd be too nervous all the time, and I wasn't in such desperate need of the money that I'd do it for that reason. However, if I can learn from it, and learn to be more confident in social situations, and make some friends out of it... It would be worth it, most definitely.

So I intend to apply, as does Loquatia, and hopefully we'll both get to be RAs next year- maybe even in the same zone, so we could still spend time together. And if neither of us makes it, we've basically decided we want to be roommates again, rather than go into the lottery and risk getting a roommate who parties/uses drugs/goes to bed at 2 AM on weeknights/needs a TV in the room (this would be UNBELIEVABLY distracting for me, at least). The trouble will be if one of us becomes an RA and the other does not. I don't want to go with luck of the draw, because among college students, even the geeky sort you find here at Hubbard, luck of the draw tends to mean someone with habits you can't stand when you're a goody-goody like me...