Meet Alex Ciesla! This sophomore hails from Hoffman Estates, Illinois. She can be seen strutting down South Quad on any given day in a perfectly put together outfit that is effortlessly chic. If you’ve ever thought that you heard the harmonious song of angels coming from Pangborn’s basement, that was most likely her. Alex is among the elite few that have maintained a double major for more than a few weeks. Her duo of choice? IT Management and Economics. This week, I was lucky enough to sit down with Alex and dig a little deeper.
What’s the most influential class you’ve taken or experience you’ve had since coming to ND?
One of my most influential experiences was reading the book “Child Garden” for my University Seminar. Hit me up to hear more about this incredibly uncomfortable gem. It’s actually worse than it sounds…
Really, the actual best thing that has happened to me since being at ND is becoming a member of my acapella choir. It led me to meeting pretty incredible humans that I now call some of my best friends.
Alex and her parents post-acapella performance
What are your must have items this fall?
EOS lip balm courtesy of the Deloitte recruiters, my gigantic “oatmeal” cardigan, and, of course, Chuck Taylors
Title of your autobiography?
I’ve Never Had an Orange (A true story, I swear)
Top Three ND Bucket List Items?
1. Climb the Stepan Center before it collapses.2. Finally make a full run around ONE lake…it’s a struggle for us non-runners.3. Sit front row at a football game.
I’ve heard rumors of Pangborn’s basement seeking to revive an old nickname, could you enlighten us?
SKID ROW. Back when ND was just for men, they had a curfew instead of parietals. You could actually get locked out of your dorm after curfew. Luckily for the residents of the Pang, the basement door never locked. Therefore, all the rebel children who were getting back past curfew would sneak into Pangborn and sleep in the hallway. So they called it “Skid Row.” This year we are really looking to revive some of these traditions and live up to the legacy that has been left to us. Go Violence.*
*When Pangborn was a men’s residence hall, the mascot was “Violence.”
What would you say to a freshman interested in acapella opportunities on campus?
Well you missed auditions, so that’s unfortunate. But next year, definitely audition for The Echoes! We are a great time. There’s also Harmonia, Halftime, The Undertones, Unchained Melodies, and Bellacapella (for the St. Mary’s girls out there). Any of these groups are a fantastic way to meet the coolest people you’ll ever know.
On that note (trying too hard?), are there secret Pitch Perfect-esque underground acapella battles at Notre Dame?
I really support that pun. And yes, there is one every Sunday night in the back building. (If you suspected that might be a Mean Girl’s reference, we should really be friends.)
What has been your greatest accomplishment so far in your college career?
Well the other day, I got 322 upvotes on yik yak. So, I can really only see my life going up from here.
Thanks for the interview, Alex!
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Images courtesy of the interviewee