Dumb phones and spirituality

This is also published with Word on Fire's Evangelization & Culture Online (www.wordonfire.org).

Hurricanes rout Irish in first game back from holiday break

Students returned from Christmas break to eagerly support their Irish men’s basketball team (10-7) against the Miami Hurricanes (15-2) in the fourth conference contest of the year. In what many fans hoped to be a revenge opportunity from the sour loss in football, Notre Dame fell 81-69 in a strong second half effort from the Hurricanes.

‘Marty Supreme’ is not the film you think it is

In a time when the future of cinema is deeply uncertain due to industry collapse and cultural degradation, “Marty Supreme” has been a beacon of hope. Its sprawling, bold marketing campaign — spearheaded by star Timothée Chalamet — was something to behold. Surreal comedy sketches, blimps and rap collabs generated actual hype for an original film, a near impossibility in this environment. Accordingly, its box office performance has been very strong, and it is on track to become one of A24’s highest grossing films. But beneath all the buzz and Chalamet’s awards season success, what is “Marty Supreme” really about? 

How to survive as a young person in the 2026 job crisis

I have been unemployed for all my life. To be completely honest, I don’t view this as an issue, but rather a testament to my consistency. However, my so-called “dad” says that I need to get a job if I want to continue eating my family’s food and using their electricity for my “experiments.” So I went on Indeed, LinkedIn and Feet Finder to find a way to earn a decent, respectable living, but was instead greeted with rejections and ghosting from every entry-level position I applied to — reasons such as “not having enough experience,” “AI having more efficiency,” or “being banned from all Denny’s establishments” were frequently cited by my would-be employers. I was crushed, but luckily, I am not alone, which is great because I get scared when I am alone. Currently, college graduates across the country are having trouble finding jobs even if their degrees are a perfect fit for the position. But do not fret, my fellow unemployable compatriots! I have compiled another healthy and normal list for you to follow in the hunt for some coinage.

Pete Buttigieg fireside chat rescheduled for Jan. 23

Pete Buttigieg, former transportation secretary under President Joe Biden, will return to the University of Notre Dame next week for a fireside chat sponsored by the Keough School of Global Affairs. The event will take place in the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 23. Tickets are required.

A toast to ugly politics

I’ve seen quite a few opinion articles lately exalting compromise, consensus and saying please and thank you when you’re debating with your racist uncle at Thanksgiving. This makes sense. The anger and vitriol that politics brings out of people is unpleasant. People will throw a level of decency out the door that they never would when discussing any other topic. Who really likes ugly politics?

We don’t have to allow AI to do everything for us

This is the sixth installment of Meghan Sullivan’s series about DELTA, Notre Dame’s faith-based framework for a world of powerful AI.

The masculine urge to ... part 4

The masculine urge to drop out of Notre Dame and become armed security for an illegal mining operation somewhere in Africa has been one of my most recent intrusive masculine thoughts. It dawned upon me during a conversation in the kitchen with my roommate where I ranted about all the things I’d rather do and places I’d rather be than be studying for my finals. At that moment, I thought I would much prefer to give up living in the United States and return to my ancestral homeland of Vietnam, where I would wander rural towns with a palm-sized wicker basket to beg for alms. I thought I would much prefer to move to the plains of Argentina and immerse myself in rearing cattle, with the hopes of eventually opening up a steakhouse to feed the local community. But this idea about protecting an illegal mining operation and defending my transportation convoy from an ambush by a militia, backed by our competitor, seemed most attractive to me. 

Shooting leaves one dead near Notre Dame campus

The South Bend Police Department responded to a shooting at the intersection of Michigan Street and Angela Boulevard Sunday at about 7:20 p.m. 

ND Naval ROTC named best in the nation

Notre Dame’s Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program has received the Educational Institution Partnership Excellence Award from the Department of Defense, highlighting its “outstanding support to the education and training of our nation’s military officers” and designating it as the top Navy collegiate program in the nation. Signed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the certificate states that the Naval ROTC’s “sustained collaboration, support, and superior performance exemplifies the strong partnership the Department of Defense enjoys with host educational institutions for the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps to develop the next generation of military leaders.” 

Notre Dame early action admissions rate sinks to record low 11.8%

Notre Dame accepted just 11.8% of restrictive early action applicants, a record low and a decline from 12.9% last year. Prospective students for the class of 2030 were notified of their admissions decisions on Dec. 16 at 6:42 p.m., a time which, on a 24-hour time table, corresponds with the University’s founding in 1842.

Bevacqua advocates for reform after playoff omission

Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua continued to declare his sense of bewilderment over the College Football Playoff committee’s decision to leave the Irish out of the CFP in a Tuesday press conference. 

Print Edition of The Observer for Monday, December 8, 2025

Editorial: It’s Notre Dame vs. everybody

At noon Sunday, 12 teams were selected to compete in the 2025 College Football Playoff — Notre Dame was not one of them. As ESPN talking-heads, the ACC and college football pundits around the country lauded the committee’s decision to leave the Irish out, a decades-old feeling reemerged in the hearts of Irish faithful: It’s us against the world.

AI reshapes internship search for University students and employers

The internship search has long involved networking for professional outreach. Now, the internship application process also involves the artificial neural and computer networks that make up AI. With both students and employers using artificial intelligence tools, the internship search for Notre Dame students today looks quite different from years past. 

University task force examines adding AI core requirement

Since September, a task force within the Data, AI, and Computing Initiative has been exploring the best means of incorporating AI into Notre Dame’s curriculum. 

'Word of the Year' selections sow campus backlash

Multiple dictionaries have released their selection for 2025’s ”Word of the Year”. Time Magazine reported the top selection for each of the major dictionaries: “rage bait” from Oxford Dictionary, “AI slop” from Macquarie Dictionary, “parasocial” from Cambridge Dictionary, “vibe coding” from Collins Dictionary and “67” from Dictionary.com.

Jeremiyah Love’s case for the Heisman Trophy

On Monday night, the Heisman Trophy committee will release its finalists for the 2025 award. With four players typically making the trek to New York City, this year will likely see Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin and Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love take center stage in the Big Apple.

The future of Irish football: Notre Dame secures all-time great 2026 class

The early signing period, which opened on Wednesday, cemented one of the greatest Notre Dame recruiting classes in the Internet era of rankings. All 27 committed recruits signed to round out the No. 4 class in the nation, according to 247Sports. The group included four five-stars and 19 four-stars, with 14 players inside the top 250. Twelve different states were represented in the class, a reflection of Notre Dame’s nationwide recruiting push under head coach Marcus Freeman.

University releases annual financial report showing strong endowment performance

The University released its consolidated financial report for the period between June 30, 2024 and the same date this year. It will be the last report to escape the effect of the new 4% endowment tax rate, which goes into effect for the 2026 tax year.