If you are a senior or know seniors at ND, you’ve probably seen a lot of “last” or “last-first” posts this week. I’m just as guilty because I can’t believe I only get one more year at this amazing place! Notre Dame is one of my favorite places in the entire world, and all of these last-firsts are bittersweet for me!
If you haven’t taken a dome pic, do you even go to ND? This is from my freshman year!
Monday was my last move-in. I squealed when I saw the exit for South Bend as I was so excited to be back! Lewis Hall had been my home away from home for three years, and I saw no reason to leave such an awesome community! I became more sentimental as I realized that I was back in my freshman year section, for which my amazing RA chose the theme of “Lilo and Stitch”. In Lewis, one of our signature events is a Hawaiian-themed spirit week in April called “Crush Week”, so seeing Stitch playing the ukelele on my door made me feel like it would be Crush Week my entire senior year.
I still can’t believe “Class of 2018” refers to the senior class!
On Tuesday, I had my last-first day of class and started my last fall semester at Notre Dame. The day itself felt incredibly normal. I woke up early to visit to Grotto for the last-first time. I met my mom and sister for breakfast at Einstein’s before they left campus and had two morning classes, reconnected with friends over lunch, and did homework and other odd errands, such as looking up textbook prices and going through a pile of back-to-school emails. I also ate in the dining halls for the last-first time.
On Wednesday, I had three more classes, attended the last-first daily Mass at Lewis Hall, and had my last-first section meeting. On Thursday, I went to my last-first section event: a home-cooked pasta dinner in the dorm. Thursday was also my last birthday on campus; to celebrate I brunched at Le Peep with some of my favorite people on the planet:
Chillin’ with my “Peeps” at Sunday Brunch
On Friday, I had my last-first voice lesson and finished my last-first week of classes. This led to my last-first weekend back “home behind the dome” (at Lewis Hall). Saturday was pretty quiet; I mainly worked on my last-first homework assignments of the year. On Sunday, I played piano at my last-first dorm Mass of the semester! I was overwhelmed by how many people attended Mass, and it was a thoroughly meaningful experience for me. This is my fourth and final year as a piano accompanist for the dorm Masses.
Tonight, I return to the chapel for my last-first Luce (weekly candlelit prayer service with donuts afterward, Mondays at 10PM– you should come :)
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