What is Notre Dame really like?

Introduction
Come visit. If you consider yourself to be a bright, curious, nice person, you will fit right in. If you are really rebellious, or hateful, or a psychopath, you better go elsewhere. If you hate cold weather, don't come here. If you are a student who is really, really into not letting authority figures tell you what to do, don't come here. If you really don't care because you don't feel threatened by that, and it is only while you are an undergrad, you will be fine. If you are really, really, agressive about what you want to do after college, and it has to do with big bucks, come to ND. There is a lot of money here, a lot of opportunities for you to go abroad, a lot of support from faculty and administrators, to study languages abroad, do independent research, and other things that a less aggressive student might not be ready for.

Campus Life and Social Life
Lots of partying, lots of clubs, lots of sports, lots of money for lots of clubs, hardly any classes for upperclass on Friday, so the weekend starts on Thursday evening. The Legends bar on campus (for those over 21) brags of hundreds of kinds of beer... But--I have never seen students work harder and be more involved with extra activities outside of class, like film festivals, performing and visual arts, French club, independent research, internships, etc. After students have graduated, they swear that this was the best place in the world, and that their friends are still their friends many years later. So I ignore students who say the place stinks, and chalk it up to "stoopid things said in my yoot." Or better yet, "stoopid things I said 'cause my girl/boyfriend broke up wit me." Advertisement
Academics
The workload is heavy, but the job you can land after graduation is heavy, too. Get used to it now! If you want to slide through life with less work, go somewhere else! The word on the street is that ND students are very nice, but not really into challenging authority. They want to do the work, get the grade, and move on to the next obstacle in the course. They want A's.

Student Body
Lots of everyone. Lots of wealthy kids, lots of poor kids (lots of student jobs for aid) lots of satellite dishes hanging out of dorms. Lots of foreign students, lots of iPods, athletes, crew team members, Catholic kids, Jewish kids, Muslim kids, other kids, kids of alums... Lots of academically agressive kids, lots of shy kids, lots of kids with anxiety problems, lots of nice kids who have bigger problems. There is a good health center! Lots of handicapped, lots of bookworms, scientists, engineers, cheerleaders. Lots of kids from California (God knows why when it gets to 10 degrees), lots of kids from the East coast... Lots of theatre kids, lots of kids who dream of going to law school, and don't really know why...

In Closing...
I wish this school had more of a college town atmosphere, but it doesn't right now. You sometimes feel like there is nowhere to go off campus, unlike many schools. But there is new construction in between town and ND that may bring some of the feel of small shops, galleries, coffee shops, etc. Tons of administrators were undergrads here, and came back. I have been here for all my life, and just never had the heart to leave! It must be pretty good.