By Laura Austin
Most freshmen would probably be scared to soak their Hall Advisor with water balloons. But Crystal Bell is no ordinary Hall Advisor.
Bell has been a hall advisor in Deseret Towers for 16 years. The students call her “Ma Bell.”
Chad Ohman, 17, a freshman from Kennesaw, Georgia, who has not declared a major, said he was a little intimidated by “Ma Bell” when he first met her, but now he loves her.
Ohman said Bell”s understanding is why he and some friends were willing to soak her with water balloons.
“She takes things well,” he said. “She just doesn”t want us to get into trouble where she can”t help us out.”
Chris Rodriguez, 19, a freshman from Orange County, California, who has not declared a major, said he got to know Bell the first time he met her and liked her from the start.
“She”s really understanding toward the kids. She”s like a kid herself sometimes,” he said. “She”s definitely like a mother figure, away from home.”
Bell first got a job as hall advisor in W Hall. After nine years she switched to R Hall where she has worked as a hall advisor for seven years.
Bell said she likes the opportunity to take classes at BYU. She said she takes one class each fall and winter semester.
“I”ll probably eventually get a degree in family counseling,” she said.
But Bell said she enjoys her job more than taking classes.
“I love the job and when it stops being fun I”m out of here.” Bell said.
Bell said part of the job is dealing with noise and pranks.
“There are lots of fun stories, most of which I will never tell,” she said. “I don”t treasure people getting ideas.”
One man Bell supervised is now a high councilor in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Samoa, she said. Occasionally, young men he knows come to her hall. They come with instructions.
“They say ”he just said whatever you say we can”t believe you,”” Bell said.
For Bell, the job is rewarding. A couple of years ago a man who Bell said had been one of her worst pranksters gave her a call. She used to punish students by having them clean bathrooms. This student was the fastest bathroom cleaner she had, Bell said.
“He said ”I just wanted to call and thank you because you never got angry with me. You never gave up on me. You always told me that God loves me and so did you,”” Bell said.
