The Birth of a Phox
Arriving at Notre Dame for the first time, I could barely contain my excitement. I was (am) one of those crazy kids that learned the Notre Dame Fight Song as a toddler and grew up hearing abbreviations like LaFun, O’Shag, and the JACC.
To be on campus for myself for the first time was unreal. Driving up that first day I could barely contain my excitement as we pulled into the familiar parking lot of Pangborn Hall. I couldn’t believe that I had been lucky enough not only to get into Notre Dame, but to have been randomly placed into Pangborn. My sister had been a Phox before me and like any kid surrounded by “cool” older kids I thought the residents of Pangborn were the coolest people at Notre Dame. I couldn’t wait to get my first pair of ears and to rep that purple and green.
However, as the school year progressed, I wasn’t met with the nods of admiration and jealous glances that I had expected at the sound of my dorm’s name. Instead, as classes went on, I was greeted with winces and sympathetic looks. Someone even told me, “Oh I’m sorry that sucks!”
Back. It. Up. As a young Phox I didn’t know how to respond to the negativity towards my dorm that was sometimes echoed even by my fellow Phoxes.
Defense
I love Pangborn Hall. Yes, even now. I can’t imagine living anywhere else while at Notre Dame. For the past three years I have lived in the basement, and I have never been happier. I honestly rarely have any complaints about Pangborn, and if I do they usually center around our printer (The thing does not like anyone. It will eat your homework.).
What about the lack of air conditioning? I’m from a desert. I think I can handle the two weeks that it’s hot during the school year.
What about there being low ceilings? Why do I need high ones? What am I going to do, house an owl that needs flying room (Contrary to popular belief, Notre Dame is not actually Hogwarts.)?
So, with that, I present you with 10 Reasons to Love Pangborn.
1. It’s a small enough dorm that you’ll kind of know everyone in it by the time you graduate.
2. So, so, so many fox-themed things. I give you mugs, shoes, skirts, purses…the possibilities are endless.
3. One of the best and most devoted flag football teams!
4. A consistent and noticeable presence in Baraka Bouts. Despite our small dorm size, we phoxes can fight!
5. Proximity, proximity, proximity! We’re right next to the Rock and steps away from South Dining Hall, which means the first pep rally is on our lawn (Get off my lawn!). Did I mention we’re also steps away from Reckers? If you use the side door you have at most 4 minutes in the cold. It’s kind of the bomb.
6. We have storage for days. Closets, bookshelves, and handy-dandy overhead storage. Really, do I need this much?
7. Phoxy snacks. There’s always someone baking and it’s lovely to walk into the dorm and snag something from the share table.
8. Sr. Mary knows how to make some killer hot chocolate. During winter finals that stuff is flat-out revitalizing. Also, did I mention snacks?
9. The excitement about Christmas lights. People go all-out and it makes Christmas time fun.
10. We have lions on our stairs.
Finally, as a basement Phox, the lack of stairs in my life is kind of amazing. No joke, I get winded going to class because I’m still not used to stairs (Basement Squad).
Everyone has their own loyalties. But before you tell someone they’re a unicorn because you’ve never met a Pangborn girl, just take a step back and reflect. Maybe it’s you and not them that’s the unicorn and you’re the one who is to be pitied for not meeting one of us.
Come by for Dorm Week and come meet a Phox!
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Photo: 1, 2-3 provided by author