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Articles by Reyna Lim
Write this down
No insane revelations, just things on my mind today. Sometimes I miss the dining hall. I don’t miss how overstimulating it can get or the way it seems to be intentionally designed to make sure you bump into all three of the people you specifically wanted to avoid that day. Other than the convenience of not having to cook or get groceries, I don’t miss the food much either (lukewarm take). But there’s a social element of it that distinctly shaped the way we kept each other company.
Bumps, no's and the road ahead
In February, the senior class hosted the 100 Days Dance to celebrate (lament) the milestone of 100 days until graduation. Then, a couple of minutes passed, and yesterday my friend texted me an invitation to a 50-day party taking place this Friday. I’m now putting my foot down and asking that nobody alert me of any other function named after the number of days we have left — I’d love to stay oblivious to this countdown.
Forecast: transience
Things I have done since writing my last column: Reread my last column, and found eight things I wanted to change about it. Saw sunshine peek through the permacloud three times, and felt inexplicable bursts of serotonin. Turned to my company each time and told them I was definitely moving to California one day. Some homework. Almost slipped twice in the Trader Joe’s parking lot.
January thoughts
I am always waiting for myself to go through a radical reinvention. Willing myself to, actually. January and the new year adds a sense of urgency to that. I have visions of peace and serenity – I am to feel complete without my vices, no longer be anxious about anything, commit to a ten-step skincare routine and have balanced hormones. Maybe this year, I’ll even start enjoying green smoothies. Maybe this year, I’ll even stop criticizing myself. In movies, change comes fast to people.
Detachment or discomfort
It’s easy to detach. It’s detachment to scroll past a clip of a so-called live streamer spewing inconceivably degrading attacks on women and chalk it up to a misguided young man and the algorithm’s emphasis on shock value.
Childhood in pages
I’ve always called myself a reader. Ever since I learned to read, I think it might be fair to say I spent at least two-thirds of my childhood reading. Through middle school, high school and my subsequent gap year, it was always the first escape I turned to when I’d have an evening free. I didn’t understand it when I’d hear someone say that they used to read a ton growing up, but now they just didn’t prioritize it. Then it suddenly seemed to happen to me, somewhere along my time in college.
Small but definite
Things can get overwhelming here. Most mornings during the school year, the moment my alarm goes off, my brain immediately jumps into a rapid-fire assessment of my to-do list for that day, reviewing the detailed timetable I had assigned myself the night prior. I am not quite a Type A person, and strict schedules and airtight plans are not my preference, but a maxed out agenda gives me little choice. Every week is different, though.
Love thee, again and always
I once wrote about being “decisively nostalgic” in a previous column. Indeed, nostalgia could easily be a hobby of mine; I’d happily make it a profession if I could render a snappy line in my resume about pondering my past and present.
The sentences I’ll never forget
In seemingly trivial exchanges, some words are etched into my mind and stick around for far longer than their speaker would ever expect. It’s more than just memorable milestones.
My best girl's birthday // The Observer
It’s gotten way too late and we’re somewhere in Frankfurt, Germany, sitting on a street corner, willing for the Uber app to get us a ride. This is so classic, you say. Classics never go out of style. We tiptoe up the stairs to your room but not before grabbing the ice cream. We’re still humming Rosalia and staring at the ceiling while we both take off our makeup, with the easy remover wipes that will most definitely make my skin break out tomorrow. And so went all the Friday nights.
You look great in that bikini
When we are photographed, who do we pose for? A short while ago, in a lecture for an elective course, I was admittedly close to drifting into the haze of my midafternoon drowsiness when I was startled into reality by a comment made in class discussion. The topic was swimsuit photos on Instagram — deciphering the apparently perplexing meaning behind a woman sharing a photo of herself on a beach.
Invisible string
Jeong is cosmic. Jeong is a silhouette. Jeong is an enchantress who follows us, just as much as we follow her — trust in her to guide us, protect us, comfort us. Jeong is my favorite Korean word, and it’s the one term for which I can never manage to pinpoint an English translation. I wish I could explain it to you. When I visit Seoul for break, my mother drives us to a sujebi restaurant in Jongno. It’s a discreet nook, blending into the street corner’s timeworn scenery.
Chronically oversharing
Every year I say, “this will be my year.” Every year. Something about New Year’s Day and the bells ringing and the balls dropped and the tteokguk I eat with my family, convinces me that something is beginning anew, bringing an inevitable force of change by some astronomical power. But January 1st is just a concept someone made up at some point. So is any date, for that matter, months and weeks and all that are too.
Winter blues - The Observer
Anyone is welcome to submit Letters to the Editor, guest columns, quotes, cartoons, comic strips and poems to the Viewpoint Department of The Observer. Items submitted by members of the Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross community will be given preference for publication. The opinions expressed in the Viewpoint section are not necessarily those of The Observer. Columns, Letters to the Editor, poems, comic strips, cartoons and quotes are commentaries.
What makes an icon
Anyone is welcome to submit Letters to the Editor, guest columns, quotes, cartoons, comic strips and poems to the Viewpoint Department of The Observer. Items submitted by members of the Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross community will be given preference for publication. The opinions expressed in the Viewpoint section are not necessarily those of The Observer. Columns, Letters to the Editor, poems, comic strips, cartoons and quotes are commentaries.
On snow and purpose
Anyone is welcome to submit Letters to the Editor, guest columns, quotes, cartoons, comic strips and poems to the Viewpoint Department of The Observer. Items submitted by members of the Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross community will be given preference for publication. The opinions expressed in the Viewpoint section are not necessarily those of The Observer. Columns, Letters to the Editor, poems, comic strips, cartoons and quotes are commentaries.
Twenty-something - The Observer
Anyone is welcome to submit Letters to the Editor, guest columns, quotes, cartoons, comic strips and poems to the Viewpoint Department of The Observer. Items submitted by members of the Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross community will be given preference for publication. The opinions expressed in the Viewpoint section are not necessarily those of The Observer. Columns, Letters to the Editor, poems, comic strips, cartoons and quotes are commentaries.
Underlined passages
Anyone is welcome to submit Letters to the Editor, guest columns, quotes, cartoons, comic strips and poems to the Viewpoint Department of The Observer. Items submitted by members of the Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross community will be given preference for publication. The opinions expressed in the Viewpoint section are not necessarily those of The Observer. Columns, Letters to the Editor, poems, comic strips, cartoons and quotes are commentaries.
Things that don’t spark joy
We’ve all seen Marie Kondo and her organization wizardry on Netflix, preaching her secret key to not being a hot mess: if the object doesn’t “spark joy,” throw it away. I am a hot (arguable) mess, and I hold onto things that spark sadness, frustration, nostalgia and humiliation.
For the plot - The Observer
Not too long ago, I came across an online video about “doing it for the plot.” It was a silly, 15-second clip about how the dumb decisions and impulsive choices we make, despite how bad the short-term consequences may seem, should be seen as contributions to the plotlines of our lives, as opportunities for adaptation and growth. The idea is that we’re in the director’s seat, writing out our own script at all times.
A gap in time - The Observer
My parents are sitting in the living room with the 9 p.m. news on, my mom sipping on a cup of tea. College move-in is only a week away and my bags are all over the house, haphazardly overflowing with clothes, bedsheets and books. “I think I want to take a year off,” I tell them. The glow of the TV reflects off the glass coffee table and the reporter rambles on about the economy, the weather, maybe a corrupt politician. Alright, they tell me, okay.
ROTC cadets to receive commissions, serve as officers in the Armed Forces
After four years of spirited dedication to the balance of diligent training with academic courses at the University, 45 senior cadets of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) will be receiving their commissions Saturday at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center (DPAC). For these graduating members of Notre Dame’s class of 2022, this will mark a pivotal transition in their careers, as they will be accepting their duties as officers in various branches of the US armed forces.
‘Both a closure and a homecoming’: University hosts special commencement for class of 2020
Over the weekend of May 27-30, Notre Dame will host a special commencement ceremony for graduates of the class of 2020 two years after their unexpected departure from campus in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The weekend will feature a variety of events celebrating the accomplishments of the class and their resilience during the pandemic.
Scene Selections: Summer reading
IMAGE SOURCES: BBC, LES ARGONAUTES When’s the last time you read for fun? Yeah. That’s what we thought. But when finals are over and the dust settles, $cene hopes you pick up some summer reading. “I am the Messenger” by Markus Zusak Claire Lyons, Interim Scene Editor Imagine “Taxi Driver,” except it’s wildly optimistic and made in Australia. The premise is hilarious: 19-year-old underage cab driver Ed Kennedy accidentally stops a bank robbery and unwittingly becomes his small town’s vigilante hero.
Notre Dame Right to Life Club hosts annual ‘You Are Loved’ week // The Observer
The Notre Dame Right to Life Club hosted its annual “You Are Loved” (YAL) Week last week. The week is hosted every spring by the club with the intention of bringing in new members and advocating against abortion. “Our commitments are to protect and uphold the sanctity of all life, and most importantly, to remind all students on campus that they are loved and they are worthy of love,” said incoming club president and sophomore Merlot Fogarty.
FTT course explores the psychology of alcohol culture in media
Spring 2020 marked the introduction of a new Film, Television and Theatre (FTT) course “Drunk on Film: The Psychology of Storytelling with Alcohol and its Effects on Alcohol Consumption.” Currently in its fifth semester, the course has become increasingly popular among students of all majors for its uniquely intriguing content and takeaways. The course is co-taught by FTT professor Ted Mandell and psychology professor Anré Venter.
Aminé’s ‘Best Tour Ever’ lives up to its name
Image sources: Pinterest, besttourever.com On the first day of spring break, I sprained my ankle. After weeks of midterms and papers, my reward was a bulky cast strapped over my right foot. I had been looking forward to my return to Manhattan, my spiritual safe haven. Yet I was immobile — ranting and lamenting on overdramatic FaceTime calls to anyone who would pick up.
“And Just Like That..” is just not it
IMAGE SOURCES: Unsplash, New York Times, The Everymom [Editor’s Note: Spoilers ahead.] Television revivals are tricky. Streaming services have allowed us to revisit old favorites in new, high-definition productions, but a well-executed revival is rare to come by. Two of my comfort shows faced rude awakenings with recent revivals. The new “Gossip Girl” soiled the show’s name with subpar acting and plotlines.
Stanford Hall presents ‘The Notre Dame Bachelor’ Original
Stanford Hall is in the process of filming its production “The Notre Dame Bachelor: A Made for TV Event,” inspired by the hit dating show “The Bachelor.” The production stars Giovanni Ghilotti as its lead and is directed by Eric Huberty and Joel Mandell. All proceeds from the event will go to sexual violence prevention, Stanford Hall’s social media says.
With high vaccination rates, Notre Dame reports lowest number of COVID cases in past three semesters
In August 2020, Notre Dame reopened its campus for the fall 2020 semester in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, community members have come together for three semesters to face common adversities presented by COVID. While the 2020-21 school year was filled with challenges caused by the pandemic — including surveillance testing, student quarantine and isolation and rising case numbers — the 2021-22 school year has brought about a more stable status quo for the community.
University commemorates Relationship Violence Awareness Month, uplifts survivors
As October draws to a close, Notre Dame wraps up its annual programming honoring Relationship Violence Awareness Month (RVMA), led by the University’s Gender Relations Center (GRC). Throughout the past month, the GRC collaborated with students in planning and staffing a variety of events. The programming addressed numerous aspects of relationship violence. On Oct.
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