Love Thee, Notre Dame

There are many words that come to mind when I talk about what it's like at the University of Notre Dame. They are all synonyms: wondrous, awe-inspiring, stupendous, terrific, marvelous, stunning...you know. It's just incredible.

I spent two weeks of my summer at Notre Dame as part of their Summer Scholars program. I basically lived like a college student: I woke myself up, ate my meals in the dining hall, went to class, had homework, and met new friends. I loved it. I loved the classes, I loved the people, and I loved the atmosphere. Leaving ND on a hot, rainy July  afternoon was one of the most depressing things I've had to do in a long time. I've been aching to go back since then, and finally, I returned!

My dad and I touched down in South Bend, Indiana on Sunday night and hopped over to campus, where I caught up with my dear friend Meredith, who is a freshman at ND. We walked around the campus at night, making stops at the Grotto, LaFortune Student Center, and the Word of Life mural, perhaps better known as Touchdown Jesus.

After that, my dad and I stopped for a bite to eat and then called it a night - we had a long day ahead of us. From an awesome "private" campus tour (we were the only people to show up for the 11:00 AM tour) to 12:10 PM Mass in the Crypt of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart (fun fact: John Cardinal O'Hara, the namesake of my very own school, is interred in the Basilica) to lunch at South Dining Hall (the frozen yogurt is to die for), we had a fantastic time on campus.

Around 3, I stopped by the gorgeous DeBartolo Performing Arts Center to catch up with one of my Summer Scholars teachers, who is a member of the staff in the department of Film, Television, and Theatre. Aside from being an amazingly cool guy, he's incredibly savvy and knowledgeable - I still use and remember so much that he taught me this summer.

From there, we made the sad trek back to the airport to catch our flight home. It really was almost painful to leave Notre Dame again - there's really no place like it. You can't know how truly special it is until you've lit a candle in the Grotto, or seen the sun glinting off the brilliant Golden Dome, or chomped on a Victory Waffle in the dining hall. More than the beautiful sights and tasty smells, though, is the overwhelming feeling that you're on hallowed ground. Notre Dame is a place of learning, of family, of tradition, and of excellence. Many thousands of people have passed through there before and their legacies and legends live on there. It's indescribable.

A statue of Father Edward Sorin, C.S.C., the founder of Notre
Dame, with the Main Building in the background

If they just had a Wawa, the place would be truly perfect.