The past weekend was action-packed for Cavanaugh Hall. Between the usual hall staff weekend programming and Cavaret, our dorm welcomed our previous Cavanaughties through our Alumni Weekend. What was originally meant to be held 5 years ago was revived this year to celebrate 30 years since Cavanaugh was transformed into a women’s hall. Reflecting past the hugs and hallway tours, last weekend showed that being a part of the Chaos, and even the Notre Dame family as a whole, isn’t just bound by 4 years. It’s a lifetime and more.
The highlight of Cavanaugh’s Alumni Weekend was our very own tailgate held before the ND vs. Miami-Ohio game. While it’s a known fact that football games do bring alumni from all over the globe back to our golden dome, it was extra special to have a singular place to come to and find familiar faces. To me, the scorching heat of that game day was secondary to reuniting with friends.
I asked a few of our alumni what their favorite memories were from their time in Cav, and a couple of anecdotes led to so many more conversations. Rachel Salamone ‘23 recounted a scavenger hunt that turned into an unintentional 5k run for rubber ducks during her COVID year. President Emeritus of 2022 Molly Schroeder shared her experience establishing our fall signature event, the Cavaret, almost 4 years ago. One interesting trend I noted while talking to a couple of our current and former Chaos was that they have a special tie to their original rooms. Current first-years living in 145 were taught a quad-specific chant that began a few years ago. On the other hand, Megan Holzgrefe ‘20 shared how her random roommates from her first year celebrate their quad every February 18 in honor of their common room 218 in Cavanaugh.
As a Cav hall staff member now, I could not help but ask previous RAs what their section theme was. Perhaps my favorite response was from Bridget Hart, whose theme was “Duck Tape” for the perfect amount of chaos. While hall staff has been an adjustment these first few weeks, it was validating to hear that the Cav alumni also shared the same sentiment about the rewarding, but involved responsibility we all were given.
Our weekend concluded on Sunday beginning with a mass celebrated by our priest, or now our president-in-residence, Father Bob Dowd. Following mass was a brunch hosted in our basement where attendees could enjoy breakfast sandwiches while continuing the chit-chat. During this time, Clare Roach ‘99 shared even more stories about life in Cavanaugh. More specifically, however, living in Cav when it first became a women’s hall. Roach talked about her experiences in starting the culture and traditions that make Cav what it is today. From choosing a new mascot (I am immensely grateful we became the Chaos instead of the Crocodiles) to choosing signature events, there are so many women to thank for building the community that we have now.
When asking Roach, among many of our other Cav alumni, how it felt to be back in the hall after being gone for a while, they all agreed: “It feels exactly the same”. Often I find myself feeling nostalgic for campus even though we’re only about a month into the academic year. As seniors, so many of us experience our “last firsts” for classes, football games, dorm traditions, etc. When I’m at a place like Notre Dame, it’s difficult for me to fathom saying goodbye so soon. Four years went by a lot quicker than I imagined, and so many times I wish I was reliving either my first, sophomore or junior year. Yet this weekend reminded me that no matter how many or how few renovations a building will have, it's never the physical bricks that hold culture. Instead, it’s the people and the spirit that keep your hall or community feeling exactly the same as you left it.
We have a motto from our *almost* 100-year-old dorm, it’s that Cav loves Cav. I know that it reigned true in 1994, it reigns true now, and it’ll reign true in the years to come. I can’t wait to come back to the Chaos after I graduate and share my own stories one day.
