Notre Dame’s Gender Relations Center (GRC) and Notre Dame Humor Artists are teaming up to sponsor Notre Dame Awkward Awareness Week to promote acceptance of our awkward sides.
“Everything that the Gender Relations Center does is supposed to help Notre Dame students have healthy relationships, with yourself, with others, and with God, “ said sophomore Lucinda Krahl, a peer educator in the GRC.
Krahl said students could participate in the “My Awkward Life” Vine-exclusive contest, in which students submit a six-second, non-offensive video to @grcnd to be entered in a contest to win gift cards to local eateries. Also, students can tweet a picture of themselves doing something awkward accompanied by the hashtag #LetsMakeItAwkwardND.
According to the Gender Relations website, a wall of awkwardness will be available in both dining halls all week, on which students can share their awkward moments with their peers. Students can also pick up free “Awkward” t-shirts in the dining halls Monday through Thursday during lunch. Students are encouraged to wear their shirts on Friday, according the website
Krahl said the idea for the movement came from the pressure to be perfect that students experience at Notre Dame.
“At Notre Dame, we are all under pressure by others and by ourselves to succeed,” Krahl said. “Sometimes we demand perfectionism, but we're all human, so we make mistakes. … We're all awkward.”
The week emphasizes embracing the awkwardness that we all share, Krahl said.
“Being awkward is part of being human, and therefore, part of being yourself,” Krahl said. “Instead of ignoring or covering up our awkwardness, we hope this week can help people acknowledge their awkwardness and their humanity. If you are happy with being awkward, then it makes it easier to accept others as well.”
The GRC encourages students to join the Facebook event, “Notre Dame Awkward Awareness Week,” to promote the event and change their profile picture to the banner on the Facebook page.
“Hopefully, Awkward Awareness Week can give people some laughs and make them feel a little less pressured and a little more human,” Krahl said.
