There is a reason Notre Dame has such a strong sense of tradition and history. It imprints such a powerful feeling of pride on its students that only seems to grow stronger after they graduate. Notre Dame is not a 4 year decision, or even a 40 year decision. It is a decision that lasts a lifetime. My upbringing was proof of the substantial impact this university had on my mother. And yes, I cannot wait to shop in the baby section of the bookstore when the time comes.

1. Your lullaby was the Alma Mater. – I kid you not, the Fight Song and Alma Mater never failed to make me stop crying as an infant. The first song I ever learned by heart began, “Notre Dame our Mother, tender, strong and trueeeee….” I also watched my mom sing those songs hundreds of times to my three younger siblings.
2. Your baby pictures were in Notre Dame onesies. – Actually, many of my childhood pictures are in blue and gold. I think my favorite picture is me and my siblings in our matching ND cheerleading outfits.
3. You began watching football at a very early age. – I still remember plopping myself on the couch every Saturday to cheer on the Fighting Irish. I learned football from my mom, not my dad. She would explain the game to me and point out where she stood in the stands as a student. “You were there Mommy?” I would ask with eyes as big as saucers. If ND was winning, I was jumping up and down with her in the living room. If ND was losing, I was sitting with my face in my hands with her.
4. You own all “The Shirts”. – I can actually see the progression of my growth based on the changing sizes of The Shirts in my closet. There were the ugly ones (2005) and the great ones, but all were equally precious.
5. You didn’t understand how anyone liked USC. – Growing up in Southern California was tough as a young child because I was in USC’s backyard. I was the only second grader proudly wearing an ND shirt and vehemently defending a school 2000 miles away. I would get mad at other children who would brag about USC beating us, but my mom taught me to always hold my head high and just say “Go Irish.”
6. Your first serious crushes were Brady Quinn and Jeff Samardzija. – While most girls my age were swooning over the Jonas Brothers, I was in love with this superstar tandem. Their initials were doodled on my notebooks, and my biggest life problem was deciding which of the two I would marry.
7. You didn’t need anyone to push you in school. – From the moment I knew what college was, I knew where I was going. It wasn’t just about my mom’s alma mater any more. It was about the promo commercials that came on during halftime that gave me actual goosebumps. I put my nose to the grindstone at age 12 because I knew where I needed to be.
8. You and your mom burst into tears when your letter arrived. – There was nothing I wanted more in the entire world than to follow in my mom’s footsteps down the hallowed halls of Notre Dame. When that letter came, we cried and held on to each other, knowing how much my life was about to change.

My grandfather and my mother are two of the biggest role models in my life. They are humble, compassionate, intelligent, and faithful. The spirit of the Fighting Irish became a part of their beings, and I’m so grateful they passed that down to me. I am ineffably blessed to be able to call Notre Dame home for the rest of my life.