"I was the only person in my family to go to Notre Dame. In fact, it had been my dream for a long time to attend Boston College. Then Notre Dame kind of...happened. But it was an unforgettable and life-changing experience.
"I worked for four years in a work study at Notre Dame, and the wife of my manager had connections in London. When I told her I was going to graduate school in London, she mentioned that she knew people in the London program and would bring my name up for an AR application.
"Months passed...and I was pretty sure they'd forgotten about me. I was in Boston for the summer, working at an internship, and still didn't know what I was doing in terms of London housing. Then I got a call from the London office for Notre Dame, asking if I was still interested. I ended up going to London three weeks after that call, rather than three months. I arrived in Conway Hall a day before the semester's students did.
"My very first year here was a whirlwind for me. My master's program was unbelievably demanding, and I was surprised by some AR duties that I hadn't seen at the main Notre Dame campus. On my nights off, my friends love to hear stories from being on-duty. I won't go into detail, but some of the more entertaining ones involve walking in on unfortunate situations and a slightly-disturbing instance of defecation.
"But through all the funny stories and exhausted nights, I've stayed here for three years after graduating with my master's. I love it. I love living in downtown London; I love exploring the city. It's not easy being far from home--both home with my family and home in South Bend. London has certainly taught me to challenge myself and grow exponentially; yet it's incredible still to be connected to the Notre Dame family here. I love meeting with new students, hearing about their life on campus, and connecting with them to enrich their experience abroad."