Vol.No.
Sure, the music I listen to and the clothes I wear may not contribute directly...
I used to think that peace was paired with serenity, and that serenity was something surreal, but that was before I was able to find true peace on campus.
My time at Notre Dame has been comprised of unmistakably different phases and stories that sound almost made-up when I recall them or say them out loud; it has, as it turns out, felt like a dream.
In a season marked by turbulent results, Nov. 19 marked a special day in the Notre Dame 2022 football season. Fans packed into the stadium bundled in thick socks, hefty gloves, snug hats and enough layers of shirts to numb themselves to the cold. But there was no escaping the unprecedented conditions that the crowd at the Notre Dame and Boston College game endured. The following is my account as one of the many students who braved the weather conditions from the initial fight song to the concluding rendition of the alma mater:…
As news broke on Sept. 8 of Her Majesty the queen’s death, the eyes of some of those I know fell on me. Perhaps, being Irish, some of my American peers expected me to celebrate the demise of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. In reality, Ireland’s relationship with Queen Elizabeth II was complicated, but no cheers greeted her death among the overwhelming majority of Irish people. On Sky News’ online public tribute page to the queen, for example, numerous Irish people left messages of gratitude to Her Majesty. As neighbors go, few share as painful and bitter a past as the United Kingdom and Ireland. After all, Ireland only won independence from British rule in 1921, and memories of the bloody “Troubles” in Northern Ireland endure. Enmity, stretching back to 1169, dominated Anglo-Irish relations until quite recently. The Crown seemingly epitomized all things British, including the country’s dark legacy in Ireland. Elizabeth II, however, proved crucial to normalizing our countries’ relations and nurturing the process of reconciliation between the two islands. As John Hume, architect of peace in Northern Ireland, said, “The trouble with the English is that they never remember, and the trouble with the Irish is that they never forget.” Her Majesty the queen, nevertheless, undertook enormously symbolic work to bridge the divide between those polar positions. With tact, delicacy and sincerity, the queen helped bury the phantoms of our shared traumatic past.…
The entire time we talked, I glanced at Peter’s wrist, where the dark whorls and edges of a tattoo crept up from the edge of his sleeve. Curious, I pointed to it and asked him what it was. The move was bold, his eyebrows raised, but after a moment of his steady gaze on my face, he turned his wrist to the light and shifted down the edge of his sleeve. Dark script formed the word “Graceland” across his wrist. I stared blankly at the dense script under the light. …
I still recall rising to slivers of sunlight peeking through the blinds of my childhood room. Slowly adjusting to the light, I was brought to life by the wafting smell of comfort food. Engulfed by the scents of savory macaroni and cheese and warm yeast rolls, I would hop out of bed and rush to the kitchen to sneak a taste. Thanksgiving was not the grandest holiday in my family, but the opportunity to gather with family and express our gratitude for one another was always cherished. This time together never failed to reignite our favorite family traditions. From watching Dallas Cowboys games to getting a headstart on our favorite Christmas movies, these simple but nostalgic acts never failed to bring me joy. …
Formal education ceases. But learning never does.
Reflections on fall from the comfort of a train car racing back towards campus.
A spiritual river journey through Labyrinth Canyon, Utah.
Chaos ensues across the Notre Dame campus. Clusters of parents carry bags and boxes filled with belongings under the summer sun, helping their children settle into their new home. Freshmen sit cautiously as they meet their roommates for the first time, attempting to maintain a confident facade through the stress and tension brought about by the new environment. And despite the cacophony of confusion and emotion, as a second year, I leisurely arrange my room and furniture, unaffected by the frenzy surrounding me. …