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When I got accepted to Notre Dame, it was the opening night of my high school’s production of Descendants: The Musicalwhich all my friends had come to. I was standing in our pre-show circle when 18:42 passed on the clock on the wall. I couldn’t bring myself to open the Notre Dame application portal and then the show began and I continued. When the break came, I couldn’t wait any longer, so I opened my decision. In hindsight I should have gotten in so much trouble for this – so unprofessional. (Shoutout to my director for being more excited than crazy.)

When I opened the email to see our beautiful golden dome, I first ran into my friend Catherine, a fellow ND student I’ve known since fifth grade. We looked forward to the prospect of four more years of school together. But March 16, 2023 was not only the opening of my first and last musical; it was also my 18th birthday. I got into Notre Dame doing something I loved for the very first time and the day I became a legal adult.

All this to say, that day may have been one of the most chaotic, wonderful and unforgettable days of my life.

My experience was extraordinary. I hope yours is just as incredible, if not more so. What an incredible achievement it is to make your dream a reality – to be accepted into a community you love so much and within which you feel so at home.

So take today – heck take the next weeks, months and years – to bask in the glory of this moment. It is a turning point in your life that should not be taken lightly.

When I was a sophomore in high school, I took a class on the science of happiness by Laurie Santos, a highly respected Yale professor. She told her class that the excitement they felt the moment they entered Yale was probably the happiest they would be over anything Yale-related. She noted that they probably didn’t wake up every morning as excited as the day they got that acceptance letter, and they all agreed.

Now, I can’t say I wake up every day as excited as I was on March 16th, but when I look up at the Dome, I see a priest on a bicycle, eating with friends in the architectural marvel that is South Dining Hall , or even when I’m stuck studying on the quietest floors of the library, looking out over campus, I feel hopeful and excited—just like I did that day. My mother can testify that I often call her on runs around the lakes or walk up Notre Dame Avenue just to tell her how lucky I feel to be here now.

My point is: Don’t let this tension subside. You are (hopefully) on your way to one of the most remarkable communities a person could ask for. So get excited, celebrate with friends, read all you can about what’s coming, buy some merch, watch the ND football playoff game, or even perform in your own musical.

Whatever you do today, you should be driven by the fact that YOU LIVED IT!

Congratulations, Class of 2029! We look forward to seeing you in the autumn.

GO IRISH!