Morrissey Manor

official freshMan orientation handbook

2012-2013 acadeMic year

http://www.nd.edu/~Manor

©copyriGht 2012 all riGhts reserVed Morrissey Manor

table of contents

foreword

the hall

the people of the Manor

liVinG in Morrissey

rules and reGulations

social life

Miscellaneous

faQ

foreword

Dear First Years of Morrissey Manor,

On behalf of our Rector, Fr. Ronald M. Vierling, the Morrissey Manor Hall Staff, the Manor Council, and the Freshman Orientation Committee, I (Andrew Mancini, the beloved, attractive, and intelligent author of this work of art) would like to welcome you to the single greatest dorm on this fine campus.

Morrissey Manor, a name that is respected and feared among the Notre Dame community, will be your home for this upcoming year and years to come. I am guessing that as soon as you got your dorm assignment and saw “Morrissey” you had one of the following reactions. You either a) jumped up and yelled for joy that you are assigned to live in the best dorm on campus, b) were confused that you are assigned to live in the lead singer of the Smiths (look it up) or c) were indifferent because you have no idea what the significance of Morrissey is (yet). Now there is very little I can do for you if you had an a) or b) reaction, but if your reaction fell into that of category c), it is my personal job to make sure you realize that in a short time you will be moving into the best dorm on campus (have I said that enough yet?).

However, before getting to the proper of this handbook, there is one quick thing I would just like to clear up. You are a resident of Morrissey Manor. Manor. Not Morrissey Hall, Morrissey House, Morrissey College, Morrissey Dorm, or That Place on South Quad by the Name of Morrissey. The Manor is where you will live, make friends, and spend the largest amount of time your freshman year.

Right away in the Manor you will meet the guys in your section who will eventually become your best friends on campus. However, the bond between the men of Morrissey goes beyond that of simple friendship (yes, I know how this is starting to sound…). Instead, this bond is more like that between brothers. These ten or twenty men you live with will the same ten or twenty who will always be there for you whenever you need it. Whether you are bored on a Friday night, stuck talking to a girl from BP, or struggling with a tough homework assignment, your section mates will be those who will always bail you out when you are in a sticky situation.

I know you may be anxious about moving away from home and into a strange building with a bunch of strange guys you have never met before, but I can honestly say you have nothing to worry about. As a sophomore in Morrissey, I can tell you that my freshman year in Morrissey was the greatest year of my life. The guys you’ll meet, the memorable weekends you’ll spend together, and the bond you will develop with everyone you live with will make your freshman year at Morrissey at time you will remember forever. I mean it.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer and I am looking forward to meeting you all in August.

Always in Morrissey,

Andrew Mancini

the Manor

the history of Morrissey:

Built in 1925, Morrissey Hall is named after Fr. Andrew Morrissey, C.S.C., Notre Dame's seventh president. Today, the dorm is often referred to as Morrissey Manor, and is nicknamed simply, “The Manor.” The dorm's motto, “Bonum Jucundumque Habitare Fratres” means, “It is good and pleasant for brothers to live together.”

The X-shaped cross on the building represents the crucifixion of St. Andrew, Fr. Morrissey's patron saint. Its shield symbolizes the undying commitment of St. Andrew, as well as the pride of The Manor's residents. The symbols seen on the shield signify Notre Dame (open book), the Holy Spirit (descending dove), Ireland (harp), and sportsmanship (winged shoe).

The Manor is one of three dorms (along with Lyons and Howard) which were formerly known as “the Golden Coast.” At the time, the three dorms were located on the edge of campus.

Designed by Francis Kervick of Kervick & Fagan Architecture Firm, Morrissey boasts some of the most elaborate architecture of any dorm on campus. With its elaborate masonry and tall tower, Morrissey's exterior is most impressive.

The Manor underwent a 2 year multi-million dollar renovation during the summers of 1997 and 1998. A complete overhaul of the exterior gave the Manor new landscaping, sidewalks, a new roof, gutters, and more bike racks, while the interior renovation gave us remodeled rooms for the students (with new doors, furniture, sinks, floors, and internet hook-ups for each student), 24 hour social spaces, study areas, laundry facilities in the basement, and lounges on each floor equipped with cable television.

In the Spring of 2006, Morrissey received the latest campus-wide upgrade to the dormitories, which included wireless internet and cable television in individual rooms.

As you can tell, Morrissey has a lot of history behind it, and you will be a part of this history as soon as you step through the doors of the Manor.

location:

The Manor, besides having a rich and exciting history, also has a prime location on the Notre Dame campus. Situated on Notre Dame’s South Quad, Morrissey is only a short (read: five minutes at most) walk away from South Dining Hall (the best dining hall on campus), Pangborn, Lyons, and Howard Halls (the best girls’ dorms on campus), the Rockne Memorial (the best place to work out and get ripped on campus), the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, and LaFortune Student Center (the best and only student center on campus). Another pro about Morrissey’s location on campus is how easy it is to explain to those of the female variety how to get there (you will be doing this a lot, trust me). On South Quad? Good. See the tall building with a tower that is more attractive than any other building on campus? That’s Morrissey. It’s that easy.

Quick facts:

Established: 1925

Nickname: The Manor

Colors: Black/Gold

Location: South Quad

Chapel: Little Flower Chapel

Number of Floors: 5

Number of Rooms: 103

Capacity: 230

Elevator? No

Air Conditioning? No, real men do not need air conditioning

Study Rooms? Yes

Exercise Room? No

Kitchen Access? Yes

Laundry Facilities? Yes

Sinks in Rooms? Yes

Modular Furniture? Yes

the (Most iMportant) people of the Manor

rector:

To ensure that the dorm is not in constant mayhem, a Rector heads the ship and is the one who oversees the entire dorm for the whole year. Morrissey’s Rector is the one, the only, Father Ronald Vierling. Fr. V, as he is lovingly referred to, is, quite simply, the man. Rumor has it he wrestles alligators in the Everglades over break, has developed three cures for HIV, and has single-handedly saved the planet on six separate occasions. Okay, not really. But he still is a really awesome guy who will always have your back and ensure you are living up to your potential at Notre Dame.

Fr. V will be one of the people (along with the ARs and RAs) that you can always go to if you ever have a problem with anything dorm related (or even if your problem involves something else). If you make sure to get on his good side right off the bat, you’ll be set for your time in Morrissey and will have no problems here. Fr. V’s office can be found on the first floor right off of the main lobby.

assistant rectors:

Since Morrissey is a large dorm filled with hundreds of college guys, Fr. V needs some help in overseeing everything. This help comes in the form of two assistant rectors, or ARs. The two ARs reside on the second and third floors so you will be seeing them around for sure. If Fr. V is not available due to some priest conference or secret mission, the ARs are next in charge and can help you out with whatever you need.

resident assistants:

Because Morrissey is divided up into eight sections (we’ll get to that in a second), there are eight Resident Assistants (RAs). Your RA is who is in charge of your section and someone you can always turn to with questions or concerns. I know this sounds cliché, but make sure you get on good terms with your RA right away because he will be there for you like a brother whenever you need anything.

liVinG in Morrissey

sections:

All of Morrissey is divided up into eight “sections” of rooms labeled by a number (based on floor) and combination of letters (based on side of the Manor you are living on). For example, 1CD would be the cluster of rooms located on the first floor and nearest to Howard (you’ll understand when you move in, trust me it’s not that hard of a concept). As a freshman you will be living in 1AB, 1CD, or 2CD along with the other freshmen coming in (and maybe a sophomore or two, possibly). Each section consists of a ten-man wing (five doubles), a six-man wing (three doubles), and a hallway which contains the quads (two doubles and a common room) of each section. Your section will be the first group of guys you will meet and bond (oh, how you will bond…) with, so take advantage of it right away!

rooMs:

Morrissey has the biggest rooms on campus. Not really. In fact, the doubles in Morrissey are just about the smallest rooms on campus. However, don’t fret because it is really not that bad at all. You sacrifice some living space and gain a whole lot of brotherhood. You can check out the size of the rooms on the Morrissey website so you are not completely shocked when you get here. The way your room will be set up (most likely) is your bed residing on top of your dresser on one side

and on top of your desk on the other.

This modular furniture is very convenient and allows you to fit two people in a room! You may not understand right now, but I am convinced the smaller the rooms and the closer you are with each other the better of a dorm experience you will have.

coMMon rooMs:

One of the less known facts about Morrissey is that each section comes with two common rooms (a small one for the six-man wing and a large one for the ten-man wing). These rooms are completely bare when you arrive so be sure to bring along stuff to furnish them with! Some ideas of things you should bring for this common room include futons, mini-fridges, a TV, carpet, and some gaming systems. They are much larger than the rooms you will be living in and are perfect for “socializing” in and just general bro time.

rooMMates:

By now you have been assigned a roommate (or three) that you will be living with for the entire year. What you should NOT do now that you have a roommate is never contact him and then be extremely awkward when you first meet in August. Seriously, talk to him. The system is completely random but I have never heard of someone (well, a guy at least…it’s different for girls apparently) who has been completely unhappy with their roommate. More often than not he will be a cool guy and will be one of your best friends right away. Talk to him, find common ground, work on what you will both be bringing, and don’t be awkward. Got it?

laVatories and showers:

Surprisingly, sometime during your stay in Morrissey you will most likely need to use the bathroom. If you somehow manage to get around this, I will be both impressed and slightly disturbed. Each section has one bathroom for everyone to share. There’s not really much more to say here…bathrooms are bathrooms and I assume you know how to use them by now.

study lounGes and center lounGes

Located in the basement, on the first floor, and on the third floor, Morrissey has three study lounges where you can study if you so desire. Rumor has it that several Morrissey residents have successfully avoided these “dead zones” throughout their four years at Notre Dame. I applaud these gentlemen…and wonder how they passed…

Furthermore, in the center of each floor, there is a lounge which has several cozy couches and a TV. These places are there for your benefit, so don’t do anything dumb to screw it up like throwing a chair out of a third floor window.

chapel:

Morrissey’s own chapel is the Little Flower Chapel located on the first floor off of the main lobby. Morrissey offers daily mass every weekday at 10PM as well as mass on Sunday at 10PM. If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of college life for a bit, retreating into the chapel is a good way to get some alone time and reflect on your day.

24 hour lounGe:

Like all dorms, Morrissey is equipped with a 24 hour space where girls are allowed to stay even after parietals (a novel concept huh?). Morrissey’s lounge, located in the basement, is furnished with comfy couches, a big screen LCD TV, and ping pong, pool, and foosball tables to make sure you have a warm and homey place to retreat to when it is 4:00 AM and the weather in South Bend becomes akin to that of northern Canada (which is often) but you are not quite ready to stop talking to that cute girl you met from Walsh who is probably not interested in you at all.

yaZ’s:

One of the glorious benefits of living in Morrissey is access to the most celebrated restaurant on campus, the one and only “Yaz’s.” Named after Carl Yastrzemski, a Hall of Fame first baseman for the Boston Red Sox and famous resident of Morrissey, Yaz’s serves only the finest frozen food to the residents of Morrissey. Yaz’s, open Sunday through Thursday throughout the school year, is located in the basement across from the 24 hour lounge and, personally, is one of the reasons I am thankful for living in Morrissey. Try the Zachos or a Hood Brother. You’ll enjoy them going in and regret them going out.

Mail rooM:

Among the less exciting benefits you receive for living in Morrissey is access to campus mail. Located in the basement, Morrissey’s mail room is where your mailbox is located and where you will pick up all your incoming mail (if you are luckier than me and actually get incoming mail…). To ensure a letter is delivered to your mailbox correctly, make sure whoever is sending it addresses it in the following way:

Your Name (and please, don’t have them write “Your Name”)

XXX Morrissey Hall (XXX = room number, not the Vin Diesel flick)

Notre Dame, Indiana, 46556

And ta-da!

kitchen access:

On the third floor and in the basement are two kitchens every student living in Morrissey has access to. Tired of dining hall food and want to cook up a gourmet meal for yourself? Bam! Use the kitchen! Once again, a kitchen is a kitchen is a kitchen. It is a fully functional kitchen with a stove, fridge, utensils, and whatever else your little heart desires!

laundry:

The most exciting benefit of living in Morrissey is the privilege of being able to do your own laundry. Unless you subscribe to Saint Michael’s Laundry Service (you will be getting information about this in the mail), you will inevitably have to do your own laundry (located, like most of our other amenities, in the basement). I have heard that all the ladies on campus respect and admire a man who knows how to do his own laundry, so think about that before you complain. If you use cash, a load of laundry (washing + drying) costs $3.00; however you save fifty cents if you use Domer Dollars.

wireless internet:

Like all of campus, Morrissey is equipped with wireless internet. OIT will be getting to you early on about how to set up your computer in line with the Notre Dame network, so I won’t both to mention that here. However, take it from me, the internet in the dorm is fast and rarely goes down.

eVerythinG else:

If you have any other questions check out the Morrissey website at morrissey.nd.edu! It has everything in this handbook and even more (there’s pictures even!)

rules and reGulations

parietals:

As you most likely know by now through a current student or from reading DuLac (you DID read DuLac right? Just kidding), Notre Dame has a visiting policy by the name of parietals. In addition to this, all dorms at Notre Dame are single sex (which is why I’ve been such a bro throughout all of this). Sunday through Thursday from 12am-9am and Friday and Saturday from 2am-9am are hours when absolutely no members of the opposite sex are allowed in the dorm save for the 24 hour space. I know this sounds like a pain and, to be honest, it really can be. However, you will see that parietals really do have a positive side. While it may seem like parietals are just in place to prevent students from having sexual relations, the administration has made it clear that this is really not the case. Basically, parietals are in place to quiet the dorm down so people can sleep. Also, parietals are nice because you can walk around Morrissey in the morning in just your boxers and be comfortable (and please, wear boxers…no one wants to see that).

Breaking parietals is a serious offense, so please be smart and do not try to beat the system and break them. If you do get caught breaking parietals, you risk being kicked out of the dorm system permanently and are subject to further disciplinary action. Trust me it is easy to build good relationships with girls even though parietals exist. If you take advantage of the 24 hour space, make good use of the time when girls are allowed over, and make an attempt to be a good guy, you will have no problems building awesome relationships with girls (as long as they are not in BP or PE, watch out for them).

alcohol/druGs:

The legal drinking age in Indiana, like the rest of the United States, is 21. Notre Dame’s policy is simple: it is illegal to buy alcohol if you are under the age of 21. It is against the rules to have alcohol in the dorms if you are under age. It is against the rules to have alcohol in the hallways. Alcohol in the hallway, if caught, is punishable by fines and disciplinary action. BE SMART!

In addition, abusive use of alcohol – including drinking games, hard alcohol, and the use of drinking paraphernalia – is strictly prohibited. The official policy can be found in the DuLac handbook. Furthermore, Fr. V, your RA, and everyone else on campus will make sure you know the drinking policy as soon as you arrive on campus.

NO DRUGS! It is as simple as that. If you attempt to use drugs in Morrissey or around campus, you will get caught and be in some serious trouble. Don’t risk it, it is NEVER worth it. As Tim McCarthy of the Indiana State Police once gloriously said, “Remember: if you’re getting stoned, you might hit rock bottom.”

cars:

I hope you are not planning to bring up your car first semester because, well, you can’t. You can bring up your car second semester with parental permission, but even then you really don’t need it. Notre Dame has everything you will ever need within walking distance, so unless you have a sudden irresistible inclination to go off campus and grab some food (try J.W. Chen’s, it’s really good!). Even then, there are plenty of ways to easily get off campus without much hassle. Taxis are cheap, the public TRANSPO bus is easily accessible, and many upperclassmen are willing to cart you around (for a certain payment that is...we like candy), so don’t fret my little pretties.

social life and fun thinGs to do

your first weeks at nd:

Your first weekend at ND will be action packed and full of adventure. You will be thrust into countless situations in which you and your fellow Manorites will be forced to “mingle” with whole groups of girls. Now even though you may have been revered as demigods at your high school for your strong ties with all the coolest bros and popular chicas, more than likely you still will feel pretty awkward meeting a bunch of new people whose names you’ll forget in seven minutes and who are unaware they are in the presence of the coolest freshmen on campus.

Despite any sort of social hesitation, it would be to your advantage to meet as many people as possible and to be as friendly and outgoing as you can. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to complete strangers (it’s what we all did and we turned out…okay), and don’t be afraid to say something stupid because most people here don’t care and are in the same situation as you. After a very short while, you will begin to feel comfortable living here and enjoy it here more than you can ever imagine.

Now to help you out and get you ahead of the game, here are the four big questions that you will ask everyone and everyone will ask you.

1) What’s your name? 2) Where do you live? 3) No…I mean like geographically. If I wanted to mail you a letter where would I mail it? 4) What’s your major right now? (or: how long until you switch to business?)

Try talking about movies, music, or something else to spice it up so you stick out. And remember to always get their number (in the least creepy way as possible).

dorM eVents:

Morrissey is lucky to have a charismatic hall council that continuously puts on events for you throughout the school year. Of particular fondness to me are the “cultural nights” and section sporting events. However, there are a couple Morrissey “Signature Events” that you will see happening throughout the course of the year. These are Oktoberfest, the Christmas SYR Dance, and the Medallion Hunt. Of these three the Christmas SYR Dance is the most famous and, naturally, the best dorm dance on campus. Also, the more participation we get in dorm events the better chance we have of winning the coveted title of “Hall of the Year.” Don’t let us down freshies.

sister dorM:

Every dorm on campus has a brother or sister dorm with whom they may do activities or co-sponsor events. Well, actually, there are 15 guys’ dorms and 14 girls’ dorms, so inevitably one of

the dorms gets shared. For example, we got the short straw two years ago and had to share PE with Alumni Hall. This year we are embracing polygamy again by sharing Walsh Hall with Saint Edward’s Hall. It’s alright, we’re better than Steds anyway.

what happens on an aVeraGe weekend?:

Assuming you are not a chemical engineer or architecture student, your social life here (aka your weekend) is what you make of it. Besides partying, there are always a ton of things to do on campus. The Student Union Board (SUB) provides a lot of opportunities for you to break out of a social rut (not even sure what that means…). Every weekend they show different recent movies in one of the big lecture halls on campus that get very good attendance assuming they are not Nicholas Cage movies. Every Thursday night SUB hosts Acoustic Café where talented students can show off their musical stylings (our very own AR James Emmanuel shows off his musical talent there often). In addition to this, they routinely bring concerts and comedians to campus over a wide range of talent and popularity. In addition to SUB, the class councils, ethnic clubs, and theater department will all have multiple events going on each weekend. Don’t worry about being bored on a weekend because, as you soon will see, that just doesn’t happen here.

football:

Notre Dame = Football. It’s true. Football weekends are absolutely amazing and will be some of the best weekends you will experience at ND so be sure to take advantage of them. Friday evenings of football weekends there is always a pep rally to get everyone pumped up. These pep rallies are always awesome to go to, especially the first home game pep rally (which for you will be USF) that is hosted by Dillon Hall (the only thing they are good for…and it’s still not that good) and takes place on South Quad. On game days, the spirit of Irish football enters everyone on the Notre Dame campus (including the mobs of parents and alumni who flock to campus) and a magical bubble of football frenzy materializes in dreary South Bend (it really isn’t that bad in South Bend…could be Detroit).

If your parents wish to attend any games, it is crucial to secure tickets and lodging very early! Most of the hotels in South Bend get booked very early, so you might need to stay twenty minutes or more away in order to secure yourself lodging. Since South Bend Regional Airport will be swamped with alumni and other fans, you can easily fly into O’Hare or Midway airports in Chicago and take the Coach USA/United Limo bus back to campus. The bus costs about $30 each way and has comfy seats along with plenty of room for all of your personal and emotional baggage.

sports and recreation:

Notre Dame is a very athletic community. Sports Illustrated ranked us as the #1 Jock School in America a few years ago due to our renowned RecSports program (which includes the only full-tackle interhall football league in America). Even if you are not a member of a varsity sport, the

university provides numerous outlets to release pent up frustration through a pretty awesome non-varsity athletics program. Intramural sports at Notre Dame are one of the best ways to get to know people from both within and outside the dorm. It seems like everyone on this campus is involved in some intramural sport or another. Interhall athletics, run by RecSports, sponsors all sports from badminton to full-contact football. Morrissey is one of the few dorms that typically excels (or at least competes) in every interhall sport from cross country to baseball to racquetball. Look at the entryways of Morrissey for signup sheets for the interhall sports!

Two other popular sporting events at Notre Dame are Bengal Bouts and Bookstore Basketball. Bengal Bouts is a boxing club which trains throughout the fall semester in preparation of holding a tournament in the spring semester. All funds from this tournament go to help the people of Bangladesh. Bookstore Basketball is the largest single-site 5-on-5 basketball tournament in the country. Hundreds of “serious” teams compete each year; however some just compete in order to come up with a funny name and make a joke out of it.

Now you may be asking where you can go to work out or play some casual racquetball with your section bros. Have no fear! Notre Dame has several recreation centers where you can go to work on your game and your bod. Closest to Morrissey is “The Rock” which houses two basketball courts, eight racquetball courts, two weight rooms, a climbing wall, and a swimming pool. Rolf’s Aquatic Center, the JACC (Joyce Athletic and Convocation Center), Loftus Center, and Rolfs Center are other places located on the far side of campus that many students utilize for recreational purposes.

In addition to these indoor facilities, there is a great deal of open grassy spaces on both North and South Quads, as well as fields by the Stepan Center and McGlinn Hall. Notre Dame also has a 9-hole golf course located just south of “The Rock.” Another beautiful 18-hole golf course is also just a short walk off campus. There are also over twenty tennis courts, indoor and outdoor, at the Eck Tennis Pavilion. If you happen to be a jogger, Notre Dame is a wonder place. There are numerous paths around campus and around the two lakes that allow for a good six mile run with minimal traffic interference. St. Mary’s is not too bad of a place to run to either – they have beautiful trails. LaFortune Student Center also houses plenty of America’s finest bar room sports including billiards, darts, and many arcade games if that’s your thing.

Miscellaneous

clothinG:

Like most other guys dorms, clothing in Morrissey is mandatory for men, but optional for women (had to throw that in to see if mom if still awake…and if Fr. V lets this slide). My advice to you is to only bring one season of clothing at a time. This means that when you initially move in, you should pack lightly and only bring summer clothes (it gets hot in South Bend and Morrissey has no air conditioning so you can leave your parka at home for now tiger). When you come home after Fall Break, bring your winter clothes and take your summer clothes home. Get it? This is because your closet space will be severely limited due to Morrissey’s small rooms so you won’t have room for your whole wardrobe (actually, you might…it really isn’t as bad as you think and I am just throwing this in as a precautionary measure).

For winter, especially if you are from a warmer climate, you will want to pack some heavy clothes for the winter months (mid-October to mid-March usually) to survive the harsh South Bend climate. Really, it can get very cold during winter in South Bend (like, below zero), especially while on the exposed South Quad that Morrissey is located on. Bring boots, a heavy coat, hats, gloves, and scarves to make sure you are adequately warm when the first wave of intense lake effect snow comes in off of Lake Michigan. Oh yeah, besides the snow you will experience in the winter, South Bend is a very rainy city with very little drainage. When it rains at Notre Dame, giant puddles form all over the place, so you might want to bring rain boots as well so you don’t drown in the mini-lakes.

bicycles:

Although Notre Dame’s campus is not as large as some state schools’ campuses, it still can get tiring walking in while the sun is beating down on you (when the sun is out that is [which is a rarer occurrence than you might have guessed…]). Therefore, if you have a bike at home and a way of bringing it to school with you, you might want to pack it up and bring it along. It is by no means mandatory, but saving a couple minutes of travel time on the way to class in the morning means gaining a couple more precious minutes of sleep time so it all works out in the end.

Sadly, bike theft at Notre Dame is a common thing, so make sure to invest in a good bike lock if you do bring your bike up. Also remember that you won’t be able to ride your bike for a large portion of the school year so make sure you have a place to store it (such as storing it in one of Morrissey’s storage rooms if you can)!

coMputers and printers:

No matter what your major is, you should most definitely bring a computer (especially a laptop if you can) from your house. Many classes require you to complete homework online, post necessary documents on the Notre Dame Concourse page (you’ll see what this is), and complete teacher evaluations so computers are invaluable. Furthermore, due to everyone at Notre Dame’s weird obsession with Facebook, your computer will be an easy way for you to find out about cool events around campus and a great way for you to creep on that girl who sits next to you in your 8:30 Calculus I class. However, don’t worry if you do not have a computer as there are plenty of computer labs on campus that are readily available for your use. These labs are located at the Hesburgh Library, DeBartolo Hall, LaFortune Student Center, Nieuwland Science Hall, Bond Hall (the Architecture Building), Mendoza College of Business, the Coleman Morse Center (affectionately referred to simply as “CoMo”), and Fitzpatrick Hall (the Engineering Building). Many students take advantage of these computer clusters, especially when it is 4am on a Thursday night and you have one line written for that ten page research paper due in your 9:35 Irish History class the next morning.

Now if you want to buy a computer, there is a university computer store on campus located right near Hesburgh Library. They have great deals on Macs, IBMs, Gateways, and Dells, so check out the OIT website and order a computer now! (I kinda sound like a pitchman huh?) But for real, order the computer now and you can get it before school starts so you are ready to go right when you arrive. I know these computers can be a costly investment, but they are worth it and will last you throughout your time at ND as long as you don’t try to play Ultimate with it on South Quad too often.

One useful bit of information that you may not know involves downloading music and movies on campus. The Office of Information Technologies (OIT) can track your downloads and you can get in some serious trouble for illegally downloading music or movies from a source such as FrostWire. Therefore, methinks you should invest in iTunes and play it safe so you don’t have to pay some big fines when you get caught for illegally downloading the new Justin Bieber album.

Finally, we come to printers. I know it may seem tempting to bring a printer with you, but you truly do not need one as every dorm and academic building is furnished with a super-fast printer. Morrissey’s printer is located in the basement on the AB side (the side closest to Lyons). If you go to http://oit.nd.edu and click on the “Software Downloads” tab, you can find the download for print@ND, a program which will essentially allow you to print to any printer on campus. You get $75 worth of printing a year (which is 1500 sheets of paper, and you can print on both sides), so unless you have a secret love of the texture of printer paper against your face and need to satiate your longing by printing out ten pages a night, you should never run of out paper for printing. You should note that the dorm printer will only print in black and white, but other printers on campus can print in color if needed.

Money and bank accounts:

More than likely, you have already talked with your parents about how much money you are going to bring with you this first semester and where you are going to put it. Most of your large expenses will come at the beginning of each semester. Books can cost upwards of $500 a semester, especially for those with a major in the College of Science or Engineering. Furthermore, room preparation can be expensive with buying TVs, fridges, and furniture for your own room and your common room. Other necessary expenses include football tickets (around $245) and basketball tickets (around $100), so the costs do add up a bit. Knowing all this, you will easily be safe with $2000-$3000 for the year and can probably survive on a lot less. For all the other expenses that pop up during the year, getting a job in LaFortune or at one of the dining halls is typically a good idea.

The best place to put your money at Notre Dame is in the NDCU. The Notre Dame Credit Union is the most accessible bank on campus (offices can be found in LaFortune!) and an NDCU account is mandatory if you are getting an on-campus job. NDCU has several ATMs located around campus so don’t be lazy and open an account when you get here!

food:

There are two dining halls on campus, North Dining Hall (NDH) and South Dining Hall (SDH), where you will eat most of your meals at. However, since you live only a very short distance away from South Dining Hall, you will eat the vast majority of your meals there (unless you are dating a girl from BP, in which case she will most likely make you eat at NDH with her several times a week and your friends will be wondering why you keep ditching them for a far inferior dining hall…moral of the story: avoid BP girls). You are lucky you live so close to SDH because it is light years ahead of NDH. When you eat at SDH, you have access to the best food, the best atmosphere (it is seriously like eating in the Great Hall at Hogwarts), and the best cafeteria staff. At South Dining Hall, there are numerous options (including vegetarian options) for you to choose from. These options include making your own stirfry, making your own sandwich or wrap, salad bars, Asian and Mexican cuisine (that makes it sound fancy…), a pasta bar, and a wide variety of cereal, desserts, and many other options (such as home style favorites and grilled delights). Each dining hall also has a Grab-n-Go unit where you can make your own bagged lunch (within limitations of course) to eat if you can’t make it to the dining hall.

However, if (and when) you get tired of dining hall food, there are several other options to get food on campus. These include the fast food restaurants in LaFortune Student Center (Subway, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Burger King, and Panda Express), the 24-hour café Reckers (a student favorite, especially past parietals on the weekends), and numerous other little cafes, express units, and (if you’re desperate enough) vending machines scattered across campus. Buildings such as Jordan Hall of Science and Bond Hall have places to grab food at if you are too busy to get Grab-n-Go or go to the dining hall.

The meal plan you are defaulted into includes 14 meal swipes a week and $345 in flex points a semester. These flex points can be used at any of the on-campus eateries (minus Legends) to pay for your food, as well as at the Huddle Mart in LaFortune Student Center, so they are pretty useful. Don’t worry; you won’t go hungry here at Notre

Dame.

acadeMics:

The academics here at Notre Dame will be more challenging than your high school academics and will require a significant amount of effort. Don’t come here and expect it to be WVU or Florida State, we actually know how to read here. If you develop good studying habits and use your time wisely, you will find that you will do just fine in your classes and have a lot of time left over to socialize.

Now for a warning…most of your classes will not ask you to turn in a lot of assignments, take attendance, or hold your hand throughout all of the material. If you want to succeed in a class, you need to take it upon yourself to put forth the effort to excel. Professors will assume that you are motivated enough to show up and do the work because you are at Notre Dame and not at a school like Michigan State or USC. Some good advice is to not fall behind in your classes. Sure, you can blow off reading your Biology for one night in favor of going for a walk around the lake with a Walsh girl who will stick you in the friend zone a month later anyway, but you will regret it when it is the night before the test and you are just looking at the material for the first time. If you fall behind you will need to dedicate more and more time to get yourself back on pace and both your GPA and social life will suffer so…uh…don’t fall behind.

As freshmen, you will be enrolled in the First Year of Studies (FYS) program and will be assigned a first year advisor who will make sure you don’t die from overworking yourself. It is definitely possible to exceed in academics and still have more than enough time to be a social butterfly if you are dedicated to your work and don’t slack off (too much).

physical education:

Except for varsity athletes and ROTCs, all freshmen are required to take one year of PE…or as many years it takes for you to pass. Don’t worry though; this isn’t like high school gym where

you do some incredibly awkward activities that no one is enthusiastic about at all. Instead, you can sign up for four different activities of your choice to do throughout the course of the year in addition to two mandatory “Contemporary Topics” classes. The PE year is divided up into six units that are all about six weeks long in which you try out a new activity. You can sign up for ballroom dancing, fencing, yoga, golf, tennis, hiking, skiing (there are hills in Indiana?), weight lifting, and about twenty more. However, before you do all of this you will need to pass a basic swim test. You just need to be able to backstroke and freestyle twice down the length of a pool, so it is really not that bad. Now if it is humanly impossible for you to pass this test, you can just sign up for a 2 unit (around 12 weeks) basic swimming class that is actually kinda fun. Make sure not to miss your PE classes as even missing one class can make you have to retake the whole unit of PE over!

website:

I mentioned this earlier but, if you haven’t already, make sure to check out the Morrissey website! It will have a complete packing list, pictures of your rooms, floor plans, and other cool things to get you amped for this coming year. The site is www.morrissey.nd.edu, so go right ahead and check it out!

alMa Mater and Victory March:

Alma Mater:

No-tre Dame our Mo-ther

Ten-der strong and true,

Proud-ly in the heavens,

Gleams thy Gold and Blue.

Glo-ry’s mantle cloaks thee,

Gol-den is thy fame.

And our hearts for-e-ver,

Praise thee, No-tre Dame,

And our hearts for-e-ver

LOVE THEE, NO-TRE DAME!!!

Notre Dame Victory March:

Rally sons of Notre Dame:

Sing her glory and sound her fame,

Raise her Gold and Blue,

And cheer with voices true:

Rah, rah, for Notre Dame

We will fight in ev-ry game,

Strong and heart and true to her name

We will ne’er forget her

And will cheer her ever

Loyal to Notre Dame

Cheer, cheer for old Notre Dame,

Wake up the echoes cheering her name,

Send a volley cheer on high,

Shake down the thunder from the sky.

What though the odds be great or small

Old Notre Dame will win over all,

While her loyal sons are marching

Onward to victory!

and reMeMber…

fiGht on for

Morrissey! black

and Gold to

Victory!