Running Head: WHY NOTRE DAME

WHY NOTRE DAME

Name of the Student

Name of the University

Author’s note
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Why Notre Dame

Ever since I was a little girl, I have had my eyes and heart set on Notre Dame. The

main reason behind that decision of mine was because my family’s three generations were the

alumnus of the prestigious institution and there was immense pressure on me as well t

continue the legacy. However, today as I draft this essay on why I would like to secure an

admission to this school, my familial legacy does not make the list of reasons. My perception

on Notre Dame changed last fall and ever since then, I have my heart set on this school but

fro very different reasons, reasons that are personal to me and not a homage to my family.

My parents and paternal grandparents all attended this school and always recounted

their numerous stories. It was the place where my grandfather found his love for theater and

the place where my parents bumped their heads into each other and fell in love to spend a

lifetime together. My life has been shaped with stories as such that presents numerous

accolades to the institution and how it shaped the lives of our family members. After growing

up in an environment as such, I was extremely sure that I would like to continue the tradition

further and attend this school that I have heard so much about.

The talks during family dinners and hangouts had made such a big impact on me that I

decorated my room with Notre Dame Knick knacks and posters. I became a fan of the

institution without ever visiting it and understanding its value. For me it was just a magical

space that was narrated to me over and over again. However, last fall when I visited Notre

Dame on my own, that perception of mine changed and I clearly understood for what reasons

I wanted to attend the prestigious school.

My mother and I went to visit Notre Dame as I had heard various stories of it and

wanted to see the educational masterpiece for myself. However, as fate would have it, even

after reaching the institutional area, my mother could not accompany me due to some
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personal reasons. That day we did not have a guide scheduled so, I was all on my own to

explore and understand the institution that I had heard so much about. I was very excited

about that day of exploration as I had a lot of preconceived notions in my head that were

making my heart race and palms sweat.

However upon entering the premises of the university, I did not feel any butterflies in

my stomach or any other feeling of excitement. It felt like a vast entity that stood there to

devour me. The further I proceeded, more alienated I felt in the huge campus. I did not feel a

tinge of familiarity that I thought that I would feel after hearing about it my entire life. All of

it just felt foreign to me. In hopes of securing my place in Notre Dame, I had never

compromised on my academics and scored straight As with very little Bs. However, I felt all

of that effort go into vain after I checked out the institution and did not feel any magical

regarding the same.

Regardless, I went in and breathed in the air of Notre Dame. It still felt no different!

By that point, I was low on morale and felt that I had over expected my entire life and now I

was in it for shock. I saw a lot of classrooms inside and loitered around for a while without

much thought. After a few minutes, I entered a class absent-mindedly but was instructed by

the professor to sit in the chair. It took me a moment to realize that he had mistaken me for

one of his students. But I was happy to oblige and sat down. That was the moment that

changed my life and perception about this institution.

Turns out that I attended a literature class and that lecture made me fall in love with

the subject even more. The way the professor grasped the complexity of Shakespearean

drama, I was astounded and I cannot recollect how amazingly time passed. That was the

exact moment, I found the magic of Notre Dame. Its faculty was known to be among one of

the best and I was a firsthand witness to it like so many others. I felt Shakespeare to be an
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abstract concept that I grasped that day. And as studying literature was always my goal, I felt

the attraction there. I also interacted with several students there and all had the same view as

me. Additionally, they stated that Notre Dame does not serve education the conventional way

but has its own unique way by accommodating diversity and providing a holistic learning

experience to the students. I was overwhelmed on hearing that.

That day I found that the magic of this University was not in its air like depicted in

popular sitcoms but in the very faculty of the University. Furthermore, as an individual who

has always been interested in theatre and performing arts, it provided an amazing theatre

program. I was also excited and elated to see myself be a member of the swimming team

filled with the nation’s finest swimmers and win accolades for my school. That day I realized

that until then, I had loved Notre Dame for its stories and memories but that day forward I

started loving it for its realities that dawned on me.

I was elated to leave the campus that day as while trying to source Notre Dame; I

found myself and my ambitions within those walls. It was an exciting day of discovery and

revelations for me and further I intend to be a part of this huge family and contribute to its

tales of glory and success.