Maria Dach | The Observer
Maria Dach | The Observer
The most ubiquitous Notre Dame bucket list is to visit all of the 32 residence halls on campus. You could rank food sales run by the dorms, go to Mass in each of the chapels or even participate in every dorm tradition (building boats, enteringpageants, or even gambling). Dorms shape culture on campus, and past writers have imagined the halls as seniors at prom, great metropolises and even preschoolers.
This article is the upgraded Buzzfeed quiz, the personality test to put Myers-Briggs to shame: this is the ND Dorm Enneagram. (What follows is extremely unscientific, please do not contact The Observer if you disagree with these characterizations).
The Reformer (1): Ryan Hall
The rational, idealistic type — principled, purposeful, self-controlled and perfectionisticHotel Ryan is one of the most well-maintained dorms. The Wildcats are committed to building awareness for accessibility issues through events like Wheelchair Basketball and Cat Fest. They also have cookies every Tuesday.
The Helper (2): Dillon Hall
The caring, interpersonal type — demonstrative, generous, people-pleasing and possessiveFrom hosting its signature Thursday night Milkshake Mass to the LGBTQ+ Mass, Dillon opens its arms to everyone on campus to enjoy their lively music and sweet treats. Just don’t ask them what’s on the fourth floor (it’s not an attic apparently).
The Achiever (3): Pasquerilla West Hall
The success-oriented, pragmatic type — adaptive, excelling, driven and image-consciousP-Dub, this year’s winner of Women’s Hall of the Year, embodies the achiever — they adapted one of their study rooms into a wellness room because balance is key. Mod Quad is prime real estate and allows P-Dub girls to get everything done, from studying in NDH, socializing at Hes and everything in between.
The Individualist (4): Lyons Hall
The sensitive, withdrawn types — expressive, dramatic, self-absorbed and tempermentalMost people know the beautiful arch of romance lore, but Lyons is not just a pretty face. It’s great for moody times as well with its serene views of the lake, the ominous stuffed lion on the first floor and the option to live in the basement.
The Investigator (5): Carroll Hall
The intense, cerebral type — perceptive, innovative, secretive and isolatedTo the outsider, Carroll seems rather cultish … Imagine agreeing to bleach your hair just to fit in with some guys you just met, but that’s probably what living in isolation on the outskirts of campus does to you.
The Loyalist (6): Keenan Hall
The committed, security-oriented type — engaging, responsible, anxious and suspiciousWhen they’re not keeping everyone well-fed with Zaland, the Keenan Knights are busy defending their shared chapel and lounge (you would too if your rival lived next door). That doesn’t mean they can’t have fun though, who else but the Loyalists would host one of ND’s most beloved traditions, the Keenan Revue?
The Enthusiast (7): O’Neill Family Hall
The busy, fun-loving type — spontaneous, versatile, distractible and scatteredThe O’Neill Angry Mob is fun-loving (with nicknames for every resident) and is often the place where many first-years get their first taste of college life. They love a performative streak — they had their own AcoustiCafe night this year, and they host the Miss ND pageant.
The Challenger (8): Lewis Hall
The powerful, dominating type — self-confident, decisive, willful and confrontationalLewis is one of the biggest women’s halls, and the original Chicks were multitasking nuns pursuing graduate degrees. Now they’re the girls who host hundreds of students at midnight for LHOP and have the best community with their six-chick rooms.
The Peacemaker (9): Knott Hall
The easygoing, self-effacing type — receptive, reassuring, agreeable and complacentThe men of Knott have some middling food sales like Waffle Wednesdays, defunct traditions (Is AquaKnott still a thing?) and, despite their irrelevance, they’re always trying to insert themselves in the PE-PW rivalry (Knott Hall, Knott Hall!).
