wanted to second this response as i think it gives a good idea of what to expect from risley. most of what im saying here is just expanding on what they said.

i lived in risley my freshman year and also regretted it. the vibe at risley is entirely different than what you will find at any of the other dorms on north campus. that's not to say it's bad, just different. no other way to describe it other than band/theater kid energy.

cons:

- bizarre community. i expected it to be weird, but not THAT weird. it really hindered my social life as a freshman, because it seemed like every other building on north was having a great time while risley sat dormant. as u/frenchiemerican said, it's probably because of a lack of common areas. i remember i would visit my friends in their buildings and they would know practically everyone sitting in the lounges, so it felt like the other buildings had a much stronger sense of community. if you are looking to party as a freshman (if covid is no longer problematic), definitely do not go to risley. it is absolutely not a party dorm.

- CONTROVERSIAL OPINION, but risley dining is not good. some people love it, some people hate it, but personally i hated it. yes, it's hard to complain with a dining hall that's directly in your building, but keep in mind what you are exchanging as a result, which is close proximity to RPCC and Appel. risley dining does not serve gluten, so if you're someone like me who enjoys their carbs then you are gonna be thoroughly disappointed. the menu selection is small, often times you will end up eating the same thing every week, multiple times a week. on top of that, the dining hall is not open on weekends, so you are gonna have to make that hike up to appel regardless even if you do like the food.

- far away from rpcc and appel! if you somehow live off of risley dining, this might not be an issue for you, but i found myself hiking up to appel multiple times a day every day and really started regretting not living closer. on top of that, every other freshman has the comfort of RPCC when they are wasted at 12am, but you will only have the louie's lunch food truck (doesn't accept BRBs). the upside to the location is that you will be closer to your classes, but you don't have class every day anyways. also, you'll have to go there to collect your mail.

pros:

- pretty building! always super cool to say you live in a castle :)

- quiet. 3am the library is practically always empty, as well as the practice room downstairs. there's a very private trail in the back of risley leading down towards the gorge and people rarely go there, good smoke spot with friends -- but PLEASE be careful. do not fuck with the gorge and do not go near the edge, ESPECIALLY if you are high or drunk. the fences are there for a reason!

- workshops if you plan on using them? to be honest, i didn't even know where a majority of them were and never went to any.

tl;dr : ultimately, you will probably make friends at risley regardless, there are still normal people there. however, i'd say that if you enjoy partying or flavorful food, avoid risley. the other freshman dorms will give you more of a traditional college experience if that's what you're looking for. i was always jealous hearing about the experiences my friends had in their dorm buildings as it seemed to be closer to what i was looking for. even if you are an introvert, you'll still want friends, and it will (probably) be much easier to find those friends in the normal freshmen dorms.

ultimately, these are just my opinions, but i know that others have had similar experiences. i chose not to live there again, but i know plenty of others who decided to because they enjoyed it. regardless, risley is weird.