Sitting down in my usual booth in LaFun (the one right across from the elevator on the first floor, in case you were curious), I anxiously awaited my first interview of the new school year, my glorious return to life as HCND’s resident “Campus Cutie” author. Who better to rekindle the old flame with than Matt Miklavic, senior RA in Siegfried Hall hailing from Cape Elizabeth, Maine? Matt and I have known each other for the past three years, awkwardly bumping into each other at dorm parties and avoiding eye contact on the quad, but I brilliantly asked him for an interview after reading one of his equally brilliant columns for The Observer last year. (I think it was this one.)
After harassing him via email from across the ocean for many months, Matt finally agreed to sit down with me. Pestering him about every detail of his life, I learned that the finance and political science double major enjoys listening to Enrique Iglesias on occasion. When asked about his on campus activities, the stoic replied with simple answers, restating his dedication to the Ramblers and how much he enjoys writing for the student newspaper. Speaking of which, check out his most recent column, which made me cry.
His insights on Notre Dame life and culture were along the same lines as most senior guys – Matt cited the Stanford game of 2012 as his favorite Notre Dame memory, an answer I get nearly every time I ask the question. Another common refrain, whether he knew it or not, was what Miklavic wishes he could change about our fine institution: its location. He said he would tell his freshman year self to “take advantage of more things earlier,” but still relax and have more fun. What’s the number one item on his ND bucket list? It seems like Matt has that under control, stating all that’s left to do is graduate.
At times, I felt this Domer knew exactly what it means to be a part of the Notre Dame community. He explained a “Domer” as “someone who wants to do something bigger than themselves yet still knows what’s important on Saturday afternoons in the fall.” How can you argue with that? While we were on the subject, I asked who his favorite Domer might be. A man after my own heart, Matt didn’t hesitate to call on President Jed Bartlet of The West Wing. His choice for honorary Domer status? JFK. Not shocking for someone who spent his semester “abroad” in Washington, D.C.
Beyond his political inclinations and up-in-the-air future plans, I was interested in the inspiration behind his Observer articles. Matt told me more than once that he lives to make people smile, thus his wish to write a column. “I wrote in high school and enjoyed it,” said Matt, “I thought it’d be a fun way to get my thoughts out there while cracking a joke or two.” The best part of writing for The Observer, according to Miklavic, is that “you get an opportunity to make people laugh but say something important about campus or ND or the world. Anytime you can make people feel engaged and laugh, it’s something powerful.”
In one word, Matt urges Notre Dame students to “adventure,” a sentiment he lives out in his own day to day cause of making people smile. He described is relationship status as “I’ll let you know when I know” (I think you’ll swoon if you read his Valentine’s messages from last year) and his favorite spot on campus as “wherever the Gauntlet is.”
Matt’s parting message to me was, “Live the hell out of life and never pass up a night at Brother’s.” See ya there, bud!
Thanks, Matt!
HCNDxo
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Images provided by interviewee