Notre Dame students try to make sense of a senseless world

 

On November 30, 2014, at around 12:30 p.m., Notre Dame experienced a catastrophic event. Many who witnessed the horror of that day were unable to recount it for weeks after the experience due to the event’s gravity.  Some, unable to cope with the horrific experience, retreated to their rooms, spending days cringing at the slightest sound.

No matter their reactions, all Notre Dame students were forced to come to grips with the ordeal that was the USC vs. ND football game.

In the days that followed the match, many questions emerged: How could this have happened? Who was responsible?  What can be done now?  Several theories popped up.  Many speculated that the USC team had poisoned the ND team’s water jugs, or perhaps Pete Carroll’s ghost had been sent to haunt the Irish in their sleep.  Others pointed to the misaligned position of the Earth’s rotation on that day, or tidal water patterns, or maybe even changing lunar cycles.  Such theories were adopted with much gusto, but seemed to disappear over time.

However, there were those who refused to accept such justifications.  These brave men and women refused to listen to excuses or defenses.  Instead, they made a solemn pledge that what happened on that fateful November day would never again occur.  They swore that no matter what it took, the Irish would emerge stronger and more dominant than ever before.  Just as the hottest fire forges the strongest iron, so too would these young Domers be fueled by the defeat of ’14.  They resolved to train harder, to dig deeper, to push harder to redeem their fallen flag.

Will these young warriors succeed?  Perhaps.  Only time will tell.  Yet, as we Irish struggle to make sense of our crushing Saturday defeat, we must take solace in the hope that the next generation of Notre Dame warriors will gather motivation from our collective suffering.  For even in defeat, we are still ND.

 

Declan Feeley is a sophomore theology and finance double major whose interests include writing and investment theory.  Declan can be contacted by email at dfeeley@nd.edu.