“One day, I’ll go here” I tell my mom with the utmost certainty as we sit at my uncle’s graduation.
I was only 6 years old and my parents had me indoctrinated. I wanted to go to Notre Dame despite my uncle’s unending graduation ceremony and the freezing May weather. I may have had no idea what college was, but I was mesmerized by the bookstore. Rows upon rows of Notre Dame memorabilia. What more could a six-year-old ask for? I was sold, forget the cold weather and boring graduation ceremonies.
Fast forward to 2016. Although my passion for Notre Dame football remained fierce, I grew skeptical of the university I grew up loving. Did I want to follow in the footsteps of my family? Did I want to leave the great state of Colorado for Indiana? Did I really want to go to a Catholic school? I thought I didn’t. I saw myself in California, maybe Washington, certainly not the Midwest. After a campus visit, which my parents insisted upon, my old passions were reinvigorated. I felt a newfound love for Notre Dame. The people, the campus, and the community were unparalleled by any other college, and Notre Dame quickly became my first choice.
Fast forward to today. Six-year-old Andrew proved right. I’m currently a sophomore in the midst of another hectic, but equally as exciting, academic year. My classes have proven to be invigorating yet challenging. I came into Notre Dame as a finance major and have since added a second major in political science. After taking an International Relations course last year, I discovered a newfound passion for politics and have taken numerous classes in the field. As for finance, so far, so good. My corporate finance class is by far the most entertaining class I’ve taken (the professor asked us to refer to him as a dork), and the subject has been stimulating as well as relevant.
I’m also involved in numerous activities around campus and in my dorm, Carroll Hall. I’ve played on Carroll’s intramural tennis team for a notable two years. I say notable because we have yet to win a single match. Despite our apparent inability to win, we have a blast practicing and making fun of our appalling record. I’m also the Carroll dance commissioner (even though I can’t dance), tasked with planning the three Carroll dances throughout the year.
Surprisingly, I do leave Carroll once in a while and make the trek to campus. I recently became a general manager for the College Mentors for Kids club. As the name would suggest, you’re paired with an elementary student from an underprivileged school in South Bend and serve as their mentor throughout the year. I find it extraordinarily heartening because the kids are unrelenting in their enthusiasm and think I’m a saint (which is obviously true). Sometimes that positive reinforcement can be all I need to get through a seemingly impossible week. I’m also a member of the Student International Business Club, the Wall Street Club, College Democrats, BridgeND (A club that strives to bridge political divides at Notre Dame), liturgical choir, and PrismND.
As for my free time, you can find me hiking, skiing, or talking about Colorado. I will also gladly discuss why Carroll is objectively the best dorm at Notre Dame or anything remotely related to Notre Dame.