It was pretty warm out that afternoon, but that’s not why my palms were sweating. Somehow, I had landed an internship with Invisible Children, a nonprofit I’d dreamed about being a part of for years, and was about to move in with 15 complete strangers-turned-fellow-interns in the Invisible Children Intern House.

I’ve always identified myself as an introvert, so you may understand my hesitation for my new living situation. Up until that fateful arrival day, community living meant a college dorm room slumber party — so this was a whole new level for me. But, throughout my time here, those 15 strangers have quickly became some of my closest friends, and the bizarre experience of living in community with them all has changed my life for the better.

So from this introvert’s experience in community living, here are a few essential life lessons we could all benefit from:

1. You do you. Seriously, it’s the only way to go. You know that picture in your head of how you’d like yourself to be, or what you think other people expect you to be? Forget it ALL. Instead of working toward some “new and improved” version of yourself, learn to accept yourself as you are right now. Because, believe it or not, who you actually are is more real and beautiful than whoever you feel like you should be.

2. Fear is your worst enemy – ignore it. The sooner you learn to face your fears, the easier your life will be. At Invisible Children, we talk a lot about jumping first and fearing later (or never). Most likely, fear is the biggest thing holding you back from your full potential – so it’s important to come to terms with what you’re afraid of and explore ways to move past it. If you dare to say no to fear, a ton of possibilities open up for you.

3. Sometimes, people will annoy you. Love them anyway. This may seem obvious, but when you live and work with a group of people all the time, conflict is inevitable – even for a peace-keeping, conflict-avoider like me. Accept that issues will come up, deal with them respectfully and maturely, and don’t let the little things detract from your ability to love people fully, for everything they are and everything they’re not.

4. You need other people. Our society values independence, individualism, and self-sufficiency, but at a certain point, you come to an end of yourself. Humans are built to connect and evolve – you really do need people, and they need you. When you establish a community of trust and respect, it’s so powerful to see how those relationships encourage you to grow.

5. You become your 5 closest friends. Sure, we’re all unique, but let’s be honest, when you spend enough time together, you basically become the same person. So, it’s important who you invite into your most influential relationships. At Invisible Children, I’ve had the privilege of becoming friends with some of the best humans on earth (okay, I might be just a little biased). But after working here for about six months, I’m beginning to feel a little less like ‘me’ and a little more like ‘we.’ From little things like slang and how often I wear flannels, to bigger things like politics and worldviews, I’ve noticed that I’ve become a lot like the people I hang out with. And I’m kind of okay with that.