Fairfield University has already become a home for me in a matter of months. From meeting friends that have already impacted my life to bonding over the sub-par food in Barone, Fairfield is a place that I can't stop thinking about since I left in May.
1. Barone
I know what you're thinking, Who the hell is looking forward to eating at Barone? Well, that answer is simple: nobody. However, think about the fun times that you have shared in Barone. Making fun of the food, talking about the weekend festivities and, of course, the unlimited ice cream. Nobody is looking forward to the food, but the good times shared inside Barone is something that I'm looking forward to.
2. Having Friends
Returning to Fairfield this fall will be amazing, but returning to Fairfield without having to worry about making friends will be a dream come true. No more awkward handshakes with people that you don't really know yet. Now, we can return as experienced college students that have already gone through the tremendously awkward moments that every freshman has to experience. Instead of awkward phone number exchanges in the first week, returning to Fairfield will mean reminiscing about summer fun, talking about upcoming events and, of course, getting back to Saturdays at the beach.
3. Father Doody
If you don't know who Father Doody is, the first thing you should do upon returning to Fairfield is seek him out and have a conversation with him. The man is hilarious. Now, obviously, one of the many perks of being at a Jesuit institution is having such great Jesuits around. However, no one can be more liked than Father Doody. From his childish pranks to the old-fashioned punch in the gut while walking to a table in Barone, Father Doody is one of the many people that make Fairfield such a special place. Even though I will be living in Gonzaga as a Sophomore, Father Doody being one of my neighbors will make the disappointment of not living in the village a little more bearable.
4. Living in the village.
I mentioned it briefly before, but living in the village as a sophomore is a huge upgrade from the quad. Not only do you have your own bathroom, but you no longer have to wear flip flops in the shower. You also have a bigger room and a roommate who is not a complete stranger. Although having an RA on every floor in the freshman dorms was not the worst possible thing (many people will debate that statement), having fewer RAs will also give sophomores living in the village more freedom.
5. NOT living in the village
As the school grows in population, not all sophomores will have the privilege to live in the village, including me. However, there are some perks to living in the quad as a sophomore. For those of you living in Gonzaga with me, it is a huge perk to be able to see more of Big Irish (Father Doody). His jokes will help ease the pain early in the year while we have FOMO of not living in the village. Living in the quad will also mean closer walks to the sporting events and the townhouses. We get the head start on the ones who will have the long walk to the other side of campus. To many of you, these things seem small, which they kind of are, but living in the quad as a sophomore is going to be as fun as we make it, so let's make it a hell of a time. #QuadForever
Although some people may not be looking forward to any of these things, specifically, in their return to Fairfield, one thing remains constant everyone is looking forward to returning to Fairfield.
