Let me why I am certain that Notre Dame will always evoke feelings of happiness, every day, no matter what.
Now, you may think that I am currently all "rah-rah," mushy and emotional because of the state of our football team. But while waving multicolored leis in the air and dancing to "December 1963" may have been an unforgettably high moment, something else earlier this semester made me realize that the magic will never die, winning football record or otherwise.
It all started during the summer. After three plus years of hanging up the basketball sneakers, a little outside motivation fueled my desire to get serious about getting back in shape. I suddenly realized that it was absurd to peak athletically at age 18.
So, what did I do? I started running. An activity that I had previously written off became something I looked forward to each and every day.
But it became boring. Running around my neighborhood in central New Jersey inevitably had "mundane" written all over it. Seeing the same houses and landscapes every day started to get old, and running became a chore once again.
Contrast this with Notre Dame. For the past three years and five-and-a-half weeks I have walked this campus every single day, and not once has it felt old. For the last five-and-a-half weeks I have run at least three times a week, very often the same route. And it has never felt like a chore. It has never felt old. In fact, it has been quite the opposite. There is always something new at Notre Dame.
Take this past weekend. One of many things senior year has taught me so far is that there are still people in a given class who don't know each other. I'm not even talking about the kind of person who is someone you say, "Oh, I know the name, but we don't know each other," if asked. I mean the kind of person who you had no previous knowledge of their existence. Last Saturday, my night started by entering the stadium with a group of old friends and entering the Backer with people I had met in my section. There is always something new.
It by no means took my newly, routine evening jogs for me to realize the novelty of Notre Dame. They simply enhanced my belief that it will never go away. The fact that running here has not become mundane like it did at home this summer reinforces my confidence in the fact that until from now, until I graduate, and beyond, I can always be certain that Notre Dame will make me happy and continue to offer something new.
Contact Laura Coletti at lcoletti@nd.edu
The views expressed in the Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
