With finals around the corner and the end of the year in sight, students can take a much-needed break with AnTostal festivities this week.
AnTostal, Gaelic for "festival," is Notre Dame's annual celebration of the last full week of classes. It began Monday with T-shirts, tie-dye and tzatziki sauce.
The decades-old festival started at 11:30 a.m. Monday with a T-shirt giveaway as well as a tie-dye booth outside of O'Shaughnessy Hall. A Greek food giveaway took place at 5 p.m. in LaFortune Student Center.
Sophomore Kevin De La Montaigne, Student Union Board (SUB) AnTostal programmer, said he is excited about the week's events.
"It's an important tradition in Notre Dame's history," De La Montaigne said. "Planning fun events at a stressful time of the year is my way of giving back."
Sophomores and SUB Cultural Arts programmers Meg Larson and Kate Augustine helped organize the Greek food giveaway.
"If it's any indication to how popular it is, the meat ran out in 30 minutes," Larson said. "The rest of the food was gone in 45 minutes."
The two said they are looking forward to other events.
"I'm looking forward to the Carnival on the Quad," Augustine said. "[AnTostal is] a nice week of fun before finals."
A carnival will take place on South Quad Thursday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Other games will take place on both North and South Quads throughout the week.
Larson said AnTostal is good timing because it takes place at a time of year when students could use a break.
"Everyone's got a bit of senioritis and is really looking forward to summer," Larson said. "They're all outside already, so it's just a little fun and different things to take advantage of the nice weather."
Junior Zach Miller, who participated in the Greek food giveaway, said it was a nice change of pace.
"I really like gyros," Miller said. "It's a much better alternative to the dining hall."
Miller said he looks forward to the free food and fun around campus.
"I like being able to relax at the end of the school year," Miller said. "I like being able to stop by events after class."
Miller said he will also attend the Blue and Gold game Saturday to support his roommate.
Senior Johanna Kirsch said she will also attend the game Saturday.
"I'm looking forward to Dayne Crist and his beautiful smile," Kirsch said.
Kirsch said she enjoys AnTostal, but her busy schedule often interferes with the fun.
"Even if I can't participate in the fun, I can see fun going on," Kirsch said. "I was excited about the T-shirt giveaway, but I didn't get out of my dorm in time to go the giveaway and make it to work on time."
Senior Mary Clare Murphy said she is also too busy to attend all of the events she would like to go to.
"I'm always too busy to do anything," Murphy said. "But it's nice to see things are going on."
Kirsch said she wondered why AnTostal did not bring speakers, like Christian Sirano, winner of Project Runway, who spoke at AnTostal two years ago.
"I loved Christian Sirano," Kirsch said. "Why didn't they get anyone else of that caliber?"
Sophomore Kristen Milliard said she is looking forward to the Parachute concert at Legends Saturday.
"I saw them in concert for the first time last year at Legends, where they opened for another act," Milliard said. "I really like their CD."
Milliard said AnTostal is not completely stress-relieving, though.
"It doesn't make me more light-hearted because I still have work to do," Milliard said.
