Have I ever mentioned that here at SUH* they take their Resident Assistants very seriously? Actually I know I have. They do not kid around. While some of my other friends went to their schools a day or two early for training, I left weeks early. August 2nd, a good twenty days before my first residents would arrive. I arrived and looked around at a room full of people, with no idea what to expect. From earlier classes I thought I liked most of them, but really I was clueless.
The Resident Assistants are an exuberant bunch. Very very exuberant. A roomful of them is more like a roomful of fifty energetic puppies. They have that kind of awkward air that says "I know I'm being being loud and laughing ridiculously at dumb jokes, but I take pride in this. " Think Jr. High students at their first dance, secretly feeling awkward, but acting real big to hide it. Bless their hearts. I really do enjoy them, just in small doses. Baby aspirin doses.
Not all RA's are energetic puppies, some are normal people. After all, I was one right? (ahem) Madi was in charge of the hall two above me, the lovely C300. Every month had massive programming requirements, so typically everyone teamed up with each other to plan. And we couldn't just plan a program, we also had to creatively advertise. No one would really punish you for just doing a poster, but the disdain in the eyes was apparent. Thankfully, Madi has the ability for the most creative advertising I've seen. We did an MBTI program and how the heck do you advertise for that? With massive paper brains of course. Massive brains hung all over the hall and connected with string until it looked like a ropes course. Duh.
So in my search for friend-able people, I found Madi. She never ceases to surprise me. One minute she's all soft spoken, eloquent and insightful, "You're a monkey Michael? And what kind of monkey are you? And what do monkeys eat?" And then she'll let loose with, "And what sound does a monkey make? This: OoOOooooOooOOOOOOO- AAHHA - AH AH" a perfect imitation, loud enough to call George of the Jungle's monkeys all the way back from 1997 and send them storming to her house, ready to do her bidding.
One time I had the opportunity to go on a snowshoe-ing trip for a few days. Did I have any idea how to snow-shoe? Nope. We were also supposed to sleep in a yurt. Had I ever even heard of a yurt? Hell no. Did I desperately want to go anyway? Oh yeah. But tentative as I am, I needed SOMEone to come with me. Luckily Madi was good with only twenty four hour notice for a spontaneous trip up the mountains. She took me to her house, outfitted me with snow boots, snow pants, a flashlight, a sleeping bag, basically making it possible for me to go. To the yurt we went.
It's like she has no inhibitions but at the same time is completely aware of others and diplomatic. She can go from a sincere, "Sierra you look beautiful" to the best the BEST zombie dance walk I've ever seen. Never mind it startled the boy next to her so much that he almost needed a change of pants, and caused the rest of his group to stare in astonishment and then laugh in delight.
She has a story for everything. "Did I ever tell you about the time a boy turned me down after the second date because I wouldn't convert to his religion?" "Did I ever tell you about the time I tackled a snowman to avoid a kiss?" They never get old.
And she's responsible for this fantastic quote, "Star Wars 1 through 3 are liked the desperate housewives of the galaxy."
Amen.
Madi. I will miss you. One of these summers we really will make it to visit Idalina (one of the people we met on our yurt adventure actually) and go to Floyd Fest.
Also. You have awesome hair.
(I might miss you the most)
*Not it's real name. Just how I pronounce it.
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