Parting with lingering thoughts
Letter to the Editor
Graduation is a time to look back and reminisce Ñ in my case almost six years!
Graduate school is a unique experience, more so for foreign students. It is a new and challenging world, from the classroom to the ÒroommateÓ experience.
It does not take long to realize how Notre Dame is different Ñ the picturesque campus, the football tradition, the religious flavor, the liberal-conservative mixture. Thus Notre Dame is more than merely an academic experience and tradition. It extends from the classrooms, to the quads and the stadium.
The most exciting times are the football game weekends, which compare with commencement in its emotional undertone. The low point, for grad students: receiving a ÔBÕ and not getting funded!
Wherever you go from here, or come from, Notre Dame strikes you as the tidiest campus, where tradition and symmetry have not been compromised in over 150 years, giving it an ambience that is infectious. The serene lake and the majestic dome speak volumes, an experience bordering on psychedelic (but beware of the sprinklers at night!); the new bookstore and the new Rolfs recreational facility titillate the senses.
As the Class of 2000 prepares to leave. some answers linger. Why is the clock on OÕShaugnessy always slow or fast? Why are the elevators in Decio so slow? Why are the computers slower during exam times and the new printers slower than the old? Why are the problems not fixed?
But, many parting thoughts are in order; among the many, GSU for the Easter and Thanksgiving brunches, SUB for the movies, Campus Ministry for the donuts and coffee during study days and OMSA and the international clubs for promoting international diversity and culture.
The Notre Dame experience remains rich and rewarding, whether it is academic discussions, late night schmoozing in LaFortune, study time with toys and snacks in the library or romantic trysts around the lakes Ñ all moments to treasure in memoryÕs chest.
One final thought: Can the ÔFighting IrishÕ leprechaun be given a slightly more pleasant and less menacing expression?
Noman Sattar
Government Graduate Student
May 15, 2000
All Viewpoint Stories for Friday, May 19, 2000
