"I think a lot of people are discouraged from doing both band and engineering, especially chemical engineering, because they're both such big time commitments. But they've honestly been two of the greatest decisions I've made here. There's a community of around eight band seniors who are chemical engineers, and we've bonded together over band and our major. When the band was preparing for the game in Ireland, it was fall of our junior year, which is the toughest academic time for chemical engineers. We had two-a-day band practices. We didn't get to homework until at least 11. So the chemical engineers would sit in the basement of LaFun and grumble about our homework--but it united us at the same time. I think those few weeks were really what brought us together."
               "As a senior, what would you tell your freshman self on her first day of college?"
"Don't be afraid to not do things. If that makes sense. I came to college assuming I'd do everything--study abroad, be an RA, take on responsibilities from everywhere. It was really my junior year when I realized that it was okay to turn down some opportunities and pick up others. You learn more about who you are as you progress through college, and you can then make decisions accordingly.
"And another thing: I'd say to always look at the dome when you're on Notre Dame Avenue. I run up and down Notre Dame Ave when I'm training for the Holy Half, and sometimes I'll make my rounds and realize I didn't even look at the dome once. It's something we should be conscious not to take for granted: we're so blessed to have things like the dome, the basilica, the grotto."