Before each year, every Resident Assistant worries about having residents that are "bad to the bone." So clearly, before my residents arrived in August, I, too, hoped that my floor would not be a "disturbia," like my floors had been in previous years.

Unfortunately, the year started off like a "thriller." In the beginning of the year, whenever I would walk into the bathroom, it would be a complete mess, even after a cleaning by the custodial staff! The floor was covered in toilet paper and looked like a "winter wonderland," and the sinks and showers were coated in hairs and looked like a "fur elise." And, to make things worse, during the month of September, my board was torn up and vandalized.

However, during the month of October, these girls have done a complete "revolution!" During the first few months, the girls tended to be "independent women," but this month they have gone into "a whole new world" of participation! First, at our house meeting, the girls were extremely enthusiastic about participating in the campus wide letter writing party for Up Til Dawn, an event that benefits St. Jude's Children Center. Almost all of them signed up to attend the event. Next, many of them volunteered to hand out candy for the Residence Hall Student Association's Halloween in the Halls program. This required them to dress up and devote their afternoon to give out candy from their rooms to children from the community. The girls had so much fun with it, and the children really enjoyed seeing their rooms and costumes. Also, this month, they participated in NRHH's campus wide Pay-It-Forward Day. As a Resident Assistant, I posted a few positive quotes in the bathroom and left blank cards with markers and tape for them to post their own. I did not expect it to go very well; however, I was absolutely wrong! That day, the mirror was covered with kind words and inspiring quotes, and the girls even supported each other through it. They would connect their quotes to other ones, and wished each other good luck through it. The positive messaging has not stopped since this day, and the girls have enjoyed adding new quotes to it and seeing them every day. Finally, I have started an optional program with the girls so they could get to know each other better, and again, I did not think the turn out would high. However, within 24 hours of posting a sign-up sheet, over 20 of the girls (from a floor of about 30) signed up!

On top of all of this, "all the small things" they have done have really set them apart this month and have contributed to our community on the floor and in Scudder Hall. The bathroom is now spotless, and they all are very concerned with keeping it clean to make the job of the custodians easier. Also, they have been focused on reducing the amount of energy used by our floor by turning off the lights in the bathroom when it is not in use. Finally, they are constantly complimenting each other and me.

Their involvement within the hall and the community has been astounding, and they make me, as a Resident Assistant, feel as if I am "walkin' on sunshine" every day. It is no wonder why recently I have been "so obsessed with [them]!" Martina McBride said it best; "this one's for the girls!"

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