Luca Marini

What is your favorite campus tradition?

My favorite campus tradition is going to Mass at the chapel of St. Edward’s Hall on Sundays at 10:00 p.m. It’s the perfect way to end the weekend peacefully and to see my friends from the dorm.

What is your favorite spot on campus?

The quad in front of the Main Building. During the summer and spring, it is an awesome place to just sit on a bench under the trees and study or listen to music with a beautiful view of the Golden Dome. During the fall, the quad is colored with the falling leaves and having the quad covered in snow in the winter is also amazing.

What is your best Notre Dame memory?

My favorite Notre Dame memory was my Welcome Weekend. Everyone in my dorm was extremely welcoming and I made so many friendships during that week. It was just a remarkable experience to be able to meet so many people and become friends with them right away, and I foster these friendships to this day.

What is your favorite Dining Hall Meal?

Definitely the honey oats granola (North Dining Hall always). I usually have it for breakfast and as dessert at lunch and dinner.

What is your favorite thing about dorm life?

The brotherhood in the dorm is such a unique experience because I know so many people in my dorm, and I can always ask any of them for help with literally anything. There is always something going on in the dorms on Fridays and the weekend, so there are always people to hang out and have fun with. I am sure that I will keep many friendships I made in the dorm for the rest of my life.

What clubs/activities are you involved in?

I am involved in the Student International Business Council, the Investment Club, Wall Street Club, and I also work with a non-profit student-led organization called Jubilee Initiative for Financial Inclusion.

What made you choose Notre Dame?

The people at Notre Dame were the biggest factor in my choosing Notre Dame—teachers, staff, and students included. During HISE especially, I realized how everyone here was all committed to building a strong sense of community. The people here are committed to helping each other, all the time, and I felt like this created the perfect environment to grow personally and academically.

What is your favorite part about being an international student at Notre Dame?

There is a lot to share with others, and people value this. I have a lot to say about my culture, my personal views, and people learn more about my country and culture. It is rewarding to have so many new things to share with my friends, and I have already convinced many to visit Brazil in the future.

How did you adjust to life on campus?

Most of the adjustments were gradual over my first semester. I talked to upperclassmen before arriving to campus my freshman year and asked them for advice, but it all comes down to your preferences. I organized my dorm room, my study plans, my social life, only after I arrived on campus. There are a lot of things that you only realize you need to adapt to after you experience them.

How do you celebrate your culture/heritage at ND?

Sometimes I will cook a Brazilian dish for my roommates or other friends in my dorm. I will also show some Brazilian music to my friends in St. Edwards Hall. In addition to that, I will hang out with the other Brazilians here at Notre Dame—sometimes cook something, every time listen to our music, and sometimes watch Brazilian soccer games together.

What advice do you have for international students?

My main advice for international students is to come here with an open mind. What I mean by this, exactly, is the following: almost everything here will be different. Don’t expect to continue with your normal social life from back home, eat the same food every day, do the same things for fun, etc. Things will be different because it is college and it is in a different country that has a different culture and customs. I would say to international students: come here ready to have a completely different life and be ready to adapt to it. It is challenging but at the same time it is really rewarding, so be open to everything that is new here.