It's that time of year again. Today begins a new year of Notre Dame football, complete with traditions, expectations and high hopes for this year's team. As in years past, some believe the team is destined to greatness, others to failure. And regardless of whether our team wins or loses tomorrow, we will all have the opportunity to be reminded that we are part of something bigger and more important than ourselves.

In many ways, each and every home football Saturday is the same. Tomorrow morning alumni and fans will descend on the quads, and students will prepare to sell food and drinks to campus visitors. Fans will line the path from the Basilica to the stadium, hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite football player as the team walks by, and shortly before kickoff the band will step off from Bond Hall to lead students, fans and alumni into Notre Dame Stadium. The seats will fill, we will watch 60 minutes of Notre Dame football, and when it is all over we will stand arm in arm and sing the alma mater of Our Lady's University.

But our very presence in Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday will represent something much greater than our enthusiasm for football. As we gather around the field, we will be reminded that we are part of a legacy. How many people around the world have dreamed of standing exactly where we will be? How many Irish fans will watch the game on TV and wish that, just once, they too could be present for a game in Notre Dame Stadium? How many have so desperately wanted to become a part of the community that we so often take for granted?

As we look at the faces of the people around us on Saturday, it will not be difficult to see that the Notre Dame and Saint Mary's community transcends nearly every human boundary. There will be people of all ages, races, nationalities, political beliefs and cultures, perhaps with nothing in common but their humanity and their membership in this community. What makes Notre Dame and Saint Mary's so unique is that, unlike many other contemporary organizations or institutions, this common membership is enough. With nothing to bind us to one another but our associations with these two institutions, we come together in friendship and solidarity. We do so not only when we unite to support the Notre Dame football team, but as classmates, study groups and members of student organizations. After graduation, we will continue to do so in the workplace, in service organizations and, in short, life.

We have all been privileged with the opportunity to be part of the Notre Dame and Saint Mary's family. Though we may not always agree with the positions of either school's administration, the Catholic Church, or one another, we should still hold dear the friendships and camaraderie we discover throughout our time as Notre Dame and Saint Mary's students. No matter how far we may travel or what challenges we may undertake, we will always have a common history in South Bend, Indiana. Perhaps we should spend just a few minutes of our first football Saturday to remind ourselves how truly precious that is.

• Members for life