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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UC Irvine chapter.

Name: Maria “Catsy” Downie

Year: 3rd

Major: Math, specialization in Education

Hometown: Carlsbad, CA

Relationship status: Taken. Sorry, folks!

Current involvements: Resident Advisor (RA) for Lorien in Middle Earth Housing, CalTeach

How do you like being an RA?

I love it! My relationships with residents and people in Middle Earth has a very positive impact. I love working with people and I love my residents.

What made you want to be an RA?

If we’re being honest, there was a financial motivation to it. I would be saving a lot of money if I were an RA. However, I do have other influences. I remember when I came in for my interview for the RA position, I was very nervous. Yo, one of the Professional Staff in Middle Earth Housing, was the one who came to get me and the only thing on my mind was, “That’s J-Lai’s boss! That’s my RA’s boss!” I was able to ease up because I remembered how much my RA loved her boss.

What are your plans after this year?

For my fourth year, I will be continuing with CalTeach, so being a student teacher. That will take up most of my time so I will be concentrating on that. After I graduate, I am hoping to go straight into teaching. I am not sure what grade level I want to teach anymore, but I like middle school (8th grade) as of now. 

What is it like balancing your involvements and being a student?

I know that it will get harder. As of now, it’s still decent because it is still earlier on, but even then it’s already hard now. Most of the time that I am in my room trying to read, my residents like to come in and talk to me. I will attend to them because they are far more interesting than the homework I have to do most days, but it is hard. Time management is key.

What’s your proudest moment in UCI so far?

Becoming an RA. I really didn’t expect my life to turn out like this or to become an RA.

What are you most passionate about?

I love music. I sing, play the cello and play a little bit of piano. I am also really dedicated to teaching and the education system. I have wanted to be a teacher since I could remember.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Teaching! Definitely! I am hoping to have a permanent position in a school, being happy with my job and who I am. That’s the idea.

What is your ideal date?

My ideal first date would be to get coffee. I like coffee. I really just want to sit down and get to know the person. Realistically, with the guy I’m dating now, we walked around Wayzgoose on our first date and I really liked that. If we’re talking about romantic, this will sound very cliché, but I like long walks on the beach, candlelit picnics on the beach, sunsets, music and QUALITY TIME.

What is your relationship deal breaker?

I am really flexible with relationships but if you stop keeping me in the loop, that’s most upsetting. I don’t need to know what you’re doing every second, but let me know availability and non-availability and what you are doing when you’re unavailable. It’s more about me making sure you’re okay because I care. Communication is key for me.

What are your hobbies?

I like nice, long conversations, singing/music and playing the cello. Strangely enough, I also really like cleaning and vacuuming. It’s one of those little things in life that makes me happy. I also like to lie out in the sun and take a nap. CAT NAPS ARE THE BEST THING EVER!

Any tips for those who aspire to be singers?

For the “realist” tip: Make sure you have a back up—make sure you can live off of something. For the “dreamer” tip: Do what you want to do, shoot for the stars and go for it. If you want to do something, most definitely reach for that goal.

Any tips for those who want to become teachers?

Make sure you really want to do it for the rest of your life. Try it out for a few years before you decide to commit. Volunteer for an extensive amount of time to make sure that is the road you want to follow.

Any tips for those who want to become RAs?

You have to be passionate about the job itself. You have to actually want to help incoming freshmen make their way through their first year. You’re going to be there to help them with feeling comfortable and confident with themselves.

Do you have any relationship advice?

Like I said, communication is key. If something is bothering you, talk about it if you want things to work out. Relationships are a two-way street. You have to compromise, but it shouldn’t mess with the life you want for yourself.

One thing you want people to know about you:

I’m a “dreamer” but I am also a “realist.” My heart tells me this is what I want and what I think should be, but my head says it can’t happen. I actually think about things a lot in the sense that if I take this action or if I say this, I think of the consequences or effects that will go with it. 

Do you have a favorite quote? 

“Be the change you want to see in the world.” – Ghandi

You can check out Catsy’s singing on SoundCloud.

Jamrensze De Leon (goes by J-Mi), became a member of Her Campus UCI during Spring 2014. She graduated in June 2017 with a double major in Educational Sciences and Sociology. During her time at UCI, she has held positions such as: Resident Advisor in Middle Earth Housing, Community Assistant in Camino del Sol, the Vice President of Community Council in Middle Earth, a Coordinating Board representative in the Government of Undergraduate Student Housing (GUSH), GUSH's National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) Leadership Development Chair, and more! Some of her hobbies include baking, dancing, writing poetry, being behind and in front of the camera (photography), and other DIY crafts. She is also on instagram (jmi_deleon). You can totally follow her adventures there! She loves being a part of something great, something big, and eventually wants to use all the skills she’s learned and make a difference in the world. So why UCI? Because she fell in love with it. She loves the vibe, the people, the park in the middle of campus, and the fact that the campus goes in a circle. Random Fun Fact: She and Hello Kitty have the same birthday. That might be the reason she loves the color pink so much!
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