This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Notre Dame chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
Name: Sarah McGough
Hometown: Planet earth
Major: In my own words, “Life”; according to the Registrar, “Anthropology, Pre-med, Portuguese, Peace Studies.”
Major you wish you chose: As a fifth concentration, Economics
Dorm Allegiance: Cavanaugh
1. Why do you think you’re being interviewed?
I obviously epitomize the Notre Dame experience. I love football, I bleed blue and gold, and I’m 100% Irish. Actually, I much prefer basketball, blood is red, and I’m 50% Cuban and about 6.5% Irish. But I (censored) love this place anyways.
2. Who are you?
I am 100% Sarah Faith McGough, also known as “McGoober,” “Gypsy,” and “Luna Lovegood” by various audiences, they most certainly know who they are. I enjoy
green tea, tights with shorts, people who like peace, organic chemistry, the word “nebulous,” and exploring ideas/peoples/places but only sometimes using GPS to do so
and more likely getting lost and stumbling on amazing things.
3. Favorite Domer dead, alive, or fictional?
Either-or questions are bad for me, so usually I pick at least two. Alive: Papa McGough. Fictional: John Smith. As in, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith.” As in, Brad Pitt. A Notre Dame Art History major. (COME ON NOW!!)
4. Do you find the moniker “Domer” kind of weird?
Yes. Only because the Merriam Webster and Urban Dictionary definitions do NOT align at all…dear me.
5. Post-grad plans?
Take my Brazilian Portuguese straight down to World Cup 2014. Attempt to buffer grad school and a career by serving as summer translator for non-Portuguese- speaking futebol enthusiasts. Return (mentally) to “real world.” Learn. (I mean, when does learning stop?) Attempt to untangle that tangled messy web of social instability, human
rights violations, and resulting public health infrastructure. Change things! Yes?
6. Highlight of your college career to date?
Little things, like sprinting through the rain at 3am to eat late-night pizza wearing
garbage bags. I have a short-term memory – that happened last week. I don’t know,
jumping off docks, random cool Kellogg Center lectures, meeting people who are also from
California, when people walk their shih tzus on campus…little things!
7. In 25 years, you will be:
Traveling the world and learning from people and their stories. That’s the only
goal I want to set for myself. I’ll be loving life if I’m still doing that in 25 years.
Actually, also: in 25 years I will also be formulating plans to open a half-
bookstore half-tea-shop in some corner of the world where people can read interesting
things and be happy. A more concrete goal, equally fulfilling.
8. What did you think you were going to do freshman year and why?
Major in everything and still graduate in four years. (Hah!) Since then, I’ve
chosen the latter and just read more books.
9. If you could change one thing about ND what would it be? Don’t say parietals because
that’s boring.
Greenfield’s, open 24 hours. Don’t tell me that nobody wants quinoa at 2 AM!
10. Favorite class you’ve taken?
“Terrorism, Peace, and Other Inconsistencies.” Self-explanatory.
11. Worst?
“Contemporary Topics.” Really, who enjoys that class?
12. Bed time?
Hahahaha. Freshman year: 11pm. Today: N/A.
13. Favorite spot on campus?
Big tree in the middle of God Quad, facing the Dome, with one sturdy thick
glorious low-lying branch that is perfect for climbing and thinking and reading in. Ignore
NDSP and the “no trampling the grass on God Quad” folklore on this one; this tree is
amazing.
14. Biggest fear?
That my future significant other decides that the screen of some sports arena
Megatron is a great place for a public proposal. More than spiders and death itself, I fear
this.
15. Guilty pleasure?
The since-dispersed Mexican pop band Rebelde, or RBD. I’m not even
ashamed. Their songs are catchy as hell and the accompanying telenovela was like
Gossip Girl on steroids, but way lower budget.
16. What’s your drink?
Grande soy chai tea latte.
17. Who is your mortal enemy?
Gosh. Mitt Romney? Just kidding. I took an election quiz and we are actually
11% compatible, and I’m 85% Green Party vs. 79% Democrat. (Paradigm shift. In case you
were wondering?) I don’t hate people as much as I claim to, so I’ll go with a non-human enemy: the
answer “I don’t know” to the question “Why do you think that?”
18. Favorite decorative possession?
Salvador Dalí melting wall clock. Functional, surreal, awesome. Occasionally
dificult to actually read the time, and the reason why I have been late to class on several
occasions. But you love something despite its flaws, you know?
19. If you could give one verb of advice for current students what would it be?
ENGAGE!
20. What makes someone a Domer?
Someone who cares about something a whole darn lot and does or wants to do
something about it. Corny moment here: WHAT WOULD YOU FIGHT FOR? But,
actually.