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On fall Saturdays at Notre Dame, the campus transforms. Alumni flood the quads, grills smoke beneath golden domes and the roar of Notre Dame Stadium echoes far beyond its walls. For many international students, this spectacle is not just a sporting event, it is an introduction to American culture, community and belonging.

For Ana Maria González Paniagua, a sophomore from Tampico, Mexico football was both familiar and foreign. She grew up watching NFL games with her father, but Notre Dame football introduced her to something entirely new.

“My first impression was ‘Wow! This is insane!’” González Paniagua said. “All the Notre Dame traditions during the games as well were central to her experience.

“I love the touchdown pushups that make ND unique,” González Paniagua said. “It is cool that we have something other places do not have.”

She also found tailgating striking, noting how families and alumni come together.

“It shows that ND is truly a family campus where people feel safe and at home,” she said.

Not all international students arrive with even a basic understanding of the sport. Freshman Jonathan Perezgo from Guadalajara, México encountered American football for the very first time at Notre Dame.

“I never had seen American football before,” Perezgo said. “It was so cool to see the vibrant community on campus when I arrived here.”

Like many others, he was immediately drawn to student traditions. “The pushups were def initely the most remarkable tradition I can remember,” he said.

Learning the game, however, took time.

“I went to a Football 101, but I understood it after the second game,” Perezgo said. “I get 80% of the game, but some of the technical rules, player position and strategies are still unclear.”

Despite that learning curve, Perezgo emphasized football’s role in shaping campus identity.

“ND Football has given an identity to my community and a reason to be so excited at games,” he said.

Sophomore Charlotte Towsend, born and raised in the UK, arrived with even less familiarity.

“My parents don’t watch American football so coming to ND I had zero knowledge about football.”

She was surprised by the pace and structure of the games.

“The first time I went to one of the games I was surprised by how long they were, as there's a lot of stop and start, but overall, I find it fun,” she said.

While understanding the rules was challenging, she emphasized the support of other students.

“I found people around me in the games don’t mind explaining the rules,” Towsend said.

For junior Luke Martinez, football anxiety gave way to belonging through involvement.

“I was a little nervous about the culture around American football,” Martinez said. “I was worried that I might feel out of place because I didn’t understand the rules.”

Joining the marching band changed that.

“It gave me a group of people to sit with during the games and a way to feel a part of the game experience,” he said.

Not every student immediately embraced football culture. Freshman Ndapuwa Timba, from Zimbabwe initially dismissed the sport.

“When I first arrived I thought football was a knock-off of rugby and had very little interest in going to any of the games,” Timba said.

Over time, his perspective shifted as he appreciated the strategy behind the game. 

Across experiences, a common thread emerges: Notre Dame football acts as a cultural bridge. For González Paniagua, that bridge ultimately led to belonging.

“It made me feel part of a family,” she said. On Saturdays in the fall, amid cheers and pushups, international students are not just watching a game, they are finding their place within the Notre Dame story.