"I grew up here in South Bend. Going to school out-of-state last semester just didn't quite feel like home, because Notre Dame set my standards high. So I transferred. Now I'm living out my life the way I know I was meant to: at Holy Cross College."
              "What sets Holy Cross apart?"
"Everyone knows everyone. It's such an intimate community. Even after being here for just a few weeks, I've made close friends and recognize names and faces. It feels a little odd even coming to the Notre Dame campus for my chemistry class, because it just doesn't quite feel like the Holy Cross 'home.' This morning, when I went to breakfast, I saw my writing professor and sat with him and chatted. I don't think you could find a community like Holy Cross anywhere else."

And he had one more thing to add that surprised me (yet made me smile to no end): "Last semester, when I was down in the dumps about feeling away from this place that feels like home, I found your blog. It kept me hopeful, to see glimpses into the family at Notre Dame while the semester played itself out. I was actually going to send you a message about it today, but I guess you found me first!"