Talk about someone who does it all! This HCND soon-to-be graduate does exactly what she loves – be it Scholastic, Juggler, or Her Campus ND! Maria Fahs let us pick her brain on everything Notre Dame, post-grad, and HCND. This lovely Babe could tell you about every bit of the University, thanks to her tour guide knowledge, and was eager to share advice and wisdom from her past four years under the Dome.
About Maria!
Name: Maria Fahs
Year: Senior
Hometown: Buffalo, New York
Dorm Allegiance: BP
Major: English
NDH/SDH: Cooking
Campus Activities: Scholastic, Curling, Juggler
What is the most played song on your iPod right now?
Slide by the Goo Goo Dolls
What is a little known fact about you?
I’ve been crowned a princess and a teen in a pageant.
Who is your celebrity crush?
Emma Watson is my biggest female crush.
What three words would you use to describe yourself?
Creative, dedicated, happy.
What’s your favorite movie quote?
“Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.” –Robin Williams, Dead Poet’s Society
Who would play you in the movie about your life?
Emma Watson, I’d like to pretend my life is worthy of her acting abilities.
Maria and ND
If you could go back to freshman year and tell yourself one thing you know now, what would it be?
Plans change, people change, you will change; embrace every time that happens and be open to new experiences.
What did you think you were going to do when you came in as a freshman?
I thought I was going to get my PhD after graduation.
It’s crunch time! What is the #1 item on your ND bucket list that you still want to complete before graduation?
Ah, just one! Ok, I really want to complete the Hesburgh Challenge.
What is your best ND memory?
Singing the alma mater at the last home football game and then running out onto the field and making a snow angel on the 50-yard line. I was really choked up singing the alma mater for the last time and even though the game was freezing, I honestly didn’t feel cold in that moment. I just felt like there was no place else in the world I’d rather be right then and no place else I would have rather gone to college. It was a very bittersweet moment and one I will never forget.
What are the best and worst things about ND?
Best Thing: I think the best part of Notre Dame is the students. I have made some truly incredible friendships and been exposed to so many new things. Notre Dame students come from everywhere and I have loved learning about where my friends are from and their life experiences. I also think the unity of the student body is incredible. Notre Dame really feels like home and my friends have become my family.
Worst Thing: Parietals. I really don’t see the point in having to relocate at midnight on a weeknight. Parietals are one of the most archaic aspects of Notre Dame.
If you could change one thing about Notre Dame, what would it be?
I would make Notre Dame more open-minded. I think sometimes we suffer from Groupthink and we are a very homogenous student body. A few new ideas and perspectives would be a breath of fresh air. It would also be great if students voiced opposing opinions more often. Those are usually the moments I’ve made new friends and they always help me solidify my personal beliefs.
Best class you’ve taken/professor you’ve had at ND:
Mark Pilkinton’s CSEM, Performance and Persuasion. I learned so much about giving a presentation and really refined my speaking/writing skills. It was also one of the few classes where I felt like I got to know all of my classmates really well. I also met my boyfriend in that class. Professor Pilkinton always said that the mark of true persuasion was not getting people to agree with you, but getting them to act on what you persuaded them to do. Through a lucky twist of fate, one of the “assignments” was to get to know a classmate better and I got paired with my now boyfriend. We grabbed Starbucks (he paid) and then went for what was supposed to be a 30 minute walk around campus. About an hour and a half later we were still walking around campus and we never really stopped talking. The rest, as they say, is history.
Favorite spot on campus:
Walking around the lakes, by the Grotto.
Favorite Domer – dead, alive, or fictional?
This is a really tough question. I’m going to have to say Father Hesburgh, because without him, I wouldn’t be here.
In 25 years you will be… happily married with 2-3 children, with a job I love and a published book on one of the shelves in my library.
What activity do you wish you had gotten involved in on campus?
It is impossible, but my dad was the producer of the Keenan Revue his junior and senior years at Notre Dame and I always kind of wanted to find a way to participate in that. Instead, I’ve always gone and enjoyed it as an audience member.
What are you going to miss the most about ND?
I’m going to miss driving down ND Avenue, singing the alma mater in the student section, taking a walk around St. Mary’s lake whenever I need to clear my head, walking past the dome as often as I want, and being a Notre Dame student. Never before have I felt like such a part of something. Notre Dame is not just where I go to school, it’s my family and an essential part of who I am.
HCND Welcomes Maria!
What is your role in Her Campus ND?
I’m a writer!
How did you first hear about HCND?
I read all the articles when they came up in my newsfeed on facebook and eventually decided I needed to stop just stalking HCND and start writing for it.
Why did you want to get involved in HCND?
I loved the stories and had a few good ideas I wanted to write about.
What HCND article was your favorite?
Oh, so tough. I loved my story about being a tour guide. I also have really enjoyed Gemma’s column. I think she gives a very unabashed picture of having sex and I really admire how gutsy and frank she is when writing her column.
What is the best part of working with HCND?
I love being able to write stories about issues that are important to me and reading about common Notre Dame experiences.
What’s your personal next step?
I have recently done some soul searching and decided that pursuing a PhD in English is no longer the right fit for me. I’m hoping to be in Chicago next year, doing something that I love. What exactly that is, I don’t know right now, but I imagine that it will be spectacular.
How has being a part of HCND impacted you?
It has enabled me to share what’s important to me and helped me reflect on my experiences as a Notre Dame student.
What would you like to see from the chapter in the future?
I know it’s “Her” Campus Notre Dame, but I would love to see some more guy friendly content so that my male friends would be more willing to click on stuff I’m writing!
What advice do you have for someone looking to get involved in HCND?
Do it! It’s way easier than getting an opinion published as a Viewpoint and you can write about anything!
You’re about to graduate from the University of Notre Dame. Wow! Congratulations! Last thoughts?
A bit of advice for the underclassmen: You know that Notre Dame is special and that your time here is flying by, but always take some time to appreciate where you are. You go to Notre Dame! You are brilliant and talented and even if you don’t know what the future holds, Notre Dame has prepared you to be successful. Follow your heart and be passionate about everything you do.
Take some time every now and again and just walk around campus. Go to the grotto and light a candle because you can. Walk around the lakes and get to know someone. Get off campus and discover what South Bend has to offer. Do great things and embrace carpe diem! Everything may not be perfect and I’m sure you’re bogged down by a million things right now, but take a look around and remember that what you’re learning here is so much more than what you’re being taught in class. Take some time for yourself and be grateful every day that you are here. You’ve got this! Best of luck!
Thanks so much for your time! We’re going to miss you!
xoHCND
Pictures provided by interviewee
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