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As Notre Dame students fall for “false spring” year after year, there is one second-semester phenomenon they can always rely on: ring by spring. The stereotype of meeting the love of your life at Notre Dame and getting engaged by senior spring is alive and well, and the pressure is on with only one month left until graduation. Mendoza College of Business may be ranked among the top in the nation, but Notre Dame is best known for its “MRS degree.” Notre Dame’s Catholic identity, paired with its Midwestern charm, makes it the perfect place to find yourself in a long-term committed relationship within your first week on campus. If you’re not scanning your 300-person lecture for potential suitors, what exactly are you doing here? While the Center for Career Development floods your email with networking and internship opportunities, know that the best return on your investment is locking down the first person who asked for your Snapchat at Domerfest.
While some relationships seem to fall effortlessly into place, others require a more strategic approach. To guarantee your ring by spring, keep the following tips in mind.
1. Flash your Claddagh ring.
Let the people know you’re available.
2. Make yourself visible.
Sit in the aisle seat at the dining hall, walk against the grain during passing periods and do your homework in that black lounge chair right in front of the staircase on the second floor of the library.
3. Attend Basilica Mass every Sunday, and add various dorm Masses during the week if your schedule allows … to grow in your faith, of course.
If you happen to meet someone, consider it God’s will.
4. Say yes to that dining hall date.
Enjoy trying to find the right table during the 6:30 p.m. rush while the speakers blast Kesha and Pitbull. What could be more romantic?
5. Once you’ve entered relationship territory, walk around the lakes holding hands.
After that, you’re essentially destined for matrimony. It may just be Notre Dame folklore, but it can’t hurt.
6. Flip your Claddagh ring.
Let the people know you’re off limits.
In the meantime, strive to balance classes, clubs, and a robust social life during your time at Notre Dame. But if you truly want to make the most of your undergraduate experience, consider prioritizing your love life — isn’t that what college is all about? Follow these steps, and graduation won’t be the last time you wear a white dress this spring.