So hear me out. One week a year, there is Engineering Week. And on one day of that week, engineers wear shirts that say “high-five an engineer”*, and you know what, I like it. Some people might think it’s cheesy, but I think it’s actually a very good, fun thing. Here’s the thing, if your major has a slight reputation of being a little less social or just in general need of a high-five, I’m here for giving you a day to slap five with your pals and/or random strangers. (Side note: If I see you wearing that t-shirt on a day that is not High-Five an Engineer Day, I feel that I fully have the right to offer you a fake high-five. You had your day.) If you feel like you need a high-five, and you want a day, then that is your right. In that way, every major becomes a little closer to one another, and Notre Dame becomes closer as a whole, too.
But, when you think about it, if you support engineer high-fives, then shouldn’t you support this idea for other majors, too? When you think about it, are there any other schools at Notre Dame that have some sort of not-so-great reputation? A reputation, that, either fairly or unfairly, is attached to every student in it? One where every student is given a stereotype just by their choice of college?
I am, of course, talking about psych majors. Nah, I’m talking about Mendoza. Everyone knows that psych majors don’t exist.**
If you think about a single institution on this campus that might be in need of a rebrand or some positive energy, it has to be Mendoza.
I could write a couple of sentences about how people often just automatically assume that being in Mendoza makes you a bad person, but instead I’ll just use two experiences from professors.
- I once had a professor stop class for five minutes to talk about how “Mendoza kids are the worst kids at this university, their classes don’t teach them anything, and they don’t do any work.” Which, fair. But unnecessarily harsh.
- A friend’s discussion-class professor: “Wait, are there any Mendoza kids in the room? I’m feeling a real lack of empathy from the class.”
I have some ideas on which day we could celebrate this each year.
- Aug. 28 — Right when everyone comes back to school, so that maybe we can get people to do it before they know it’s a thing.
- Career fairs — Break the tension of professional networking with a nice warm embrace.
- Jan. 29th — No real reason.
- High-Five an Engineer Day — Just make it a day for some affection. Maybe we could get crazy and add Fist Bump an Arts and Letters Major Day, too. Just get wild with it.
- Christmas — What better day to celebrate capitalism than the religious family holiday we made about material objects?
Finally, maybe you yourself are not a big fan of business majors in general. Maybe you don’t see them as misunderstood, nice people with a passion for networking. Maybe you think they’re just bad people. And, if you think that, then what better way to bring them back to the good side than with a hug. This would also give you an excuse not to hug them for the other 364 days of the year. (Side note, I now believe every political debate should begin with hugs. Who hugs? The candidates with each other? Each candidate with each moderator? The audience? I don’t know, I just know that America wins.)
Editor’s note — from the author — who is not the editor — I am a business major, and I do need a hug.
*No idea what day of the year that is, I don’t research my columns.
** Existentially.
*** I wonder if they’ll print this.
Danny McMaster is a senior business analytics major, and has never once been wrong in his entire life. He can be reached at dmcmaste@nd.eduor @DanMcMaster14 on Twitter.
