As Lou Holtz said, "if you go to ND, no explanation is necessary. For those who don't know Notre Dame, no explanation will suffice." For both Domers and not, enjoy many of the features unique to ND that you will know all too well by the end of your first year at Our Lady's University.
A
Appalachia
Notre Dame, being the Catholic institution it is, loves to get its students involved in service. And, for some reason, Appalachia is the trip that everyone seems to go on. You can't go 10 feet without meeting someone who went.
B
Basilica
The magnificent church right on God Quad where students, faculty, alumni and visitors come together in worship. The Basilica is beautiful inside and out and stands as both the tallest building on campus and the tallest University church in America.
C
Club Fever
What words are there to describe such a place? Love it or hate it, Feve is something every Notre Dame student knows about. Is it worth the random hookups, hungover Friday classes and stench of cigarette and booze on your button downs? You decide.
D
Dome
The gilded main building with a golden statue of the Virgin Mary atop. This is the signature ND building that we all know and love, a sort of North Star for domers. Golden is thy fame, ND.
E
Erin Hoffman Harding
You get to know ol' EHH even before you get to campus through the universally adored BCND videos. As VP of Student Affairs, E double H has the distinction of sending out important university news to all students.
F
Ah, football season, the epitome of the Notre Dame experiences. Whether your favorite part is tailgating, pushups or singing the Alma Mater at the end of every game, football brings us all together.
G
Grotto
The Grotto, located right across from the lakes tucked behind the basilica, remains many students' favorite places on campus. Catholic or not, the midnight glow of the Grotto is a calming, peaceful sight, even on the coldest of winter nights.
H
Hesburgh
Whether you think of good ol' Club Hes or the late Fr. Ted when you hear "Hesburgh," you immediately associate the name with the Fighting Irish. Fr. Ted was a visionary who changed our school forever, and though he is no longer with us, his legacy lives on everywhere on campus.
I
Indiana
Coming from the East Coast, I was skeptical at first. However, Indiana has proven to be much more than just the place where Notre Dame is located—it is our home and our community. SB boasts so many hidden gems, from restaurants to arts performances. Every day you dive further into the community, you find something new that interests you.
J
Saint Joe & Saint Mary Lakes
Where would the University of Notre Dame du Lac be without the Lac(s)? In the warmer months, these beauties offer sailing, paddleboarding, swimming and much more. Added bonus: if you really wanna seal the deal with that special someone, walk around Mary and Joe while holding hands and the rest is history.
K
Keenan Revue
The King of all dorm signature events (sorry Fisher Regatta). Oddly enough, being one of 100+ young men dance in nothing but jorts sure can give you a lot of dorm pride. I envy the men of Keenan Hall not just for their wit and balls to perform in front of thousands of domers while nearly nude, but also for their strong commitment to dorm tradition.
L
LaFun
This is probably the only building on campus that every student enters on a consistent basis (except for perhaps Debart or the stadium). We've all been in LaFun both stone-cold sober studying for exams or writing papers and we've been in here for a post-Feve/Finnies/party T-bell or Pizza Hut.
M
Meijer
Local superstore found only in the Midwest. Every ND student's go-to for grocery stapes, home goods and anything you may have forgotten at home. We love you, Meijer.
N
North Dining Hall
More private and intimate? Yes. Baked pasta and make-your-own pizza? Yes. Superior to South? Debatable...
O
Our Lady
What would the Notre Dame alphabet be without the namesake of our beloved University? She looks out over us from atop the dome, whether we are on our way to an 8 a.m. exam or whether we are climbing out of a $3 ND taxi on our way home from wherever we are coming from.
P
Parietals
Would someone please end the tyranny of parietals? Maybe I would like to watch a movie in Walsh or Pangborn post-midnight on a Thursday. Is that too much to ask?
Q
Quarter Dogs
Iconically Notre Dame, but really just terrible. All you need to do is have one during your entire school career just to say you tried it and you'll be set.
R
"Rudy"
Though the movie may sensationalize the true story, what domer would say no to watching "Rudy" (yet another time)? Seeing campus in the film and watching an emotional ND victory are enough to make this movie a classic.
S
South Dining Hall
Ask any visitor to Notre Dame or resident of South, West or God Quad, SDH>NDH any day of the week. Pristine atmosphere, sliced apples, and the food is all in one place.
T
Treeing Bikes
Strange fruit hangs from the trees of Notre Dame. A favorite domer tradition, treeing bikes both brings people together and teaches a lesson to those foolish enough to leave their bikes unlocked. Just beware of falling bikes.
U
University Park Mall
The UP Mall is filled with a slew of townies mixed with a few students. Nonetheless, the UP Mall is nearby and has a few great stores. Also, it has Chick-fil-A.
V
Visitors
They range from infants of alumni to prospective students to the swarms of elderly that are bussed in on weekends. Sometimes inconvenient but always welcome, the amount of people that come to ND just to visit is a true testament to how special our university is.
W
Wildlife
Skunks, deer, worms, rabbits, geese and squirrels! Notre Dame squirrels are a different species altogether that I anticipate will one day take over campus (and later the world). Look out.
X
X-mas
Christmas season at Notre Dame is, despite the winter weather, one of the best times of the year. The residence halls get decked, Main Building looks beautiful with the tree right under the dome and the campus is quietly blanketed with snow.
Y
Yik Yak
Probably one of the most vital sources for campus news. Despite the anonymity, Yik Yak is a favorite amongst domers.
Z
Zahm
I thought I wouldn't find a Z for this list, but how wrong I was! You'll have to formulate your own opinions of Zahmbies, but at least the dorm has a lot of name recognition.
From A to Z, Notre Dame is a special place that all of us have the privilege of calling home.
