Arrival and Departure
We expect you to arrive on Monday of your scheduled week. Registration takes place between 2:00 pm and 4:30 pm in Geddes Hall. You should plan to depart in the afternoon on the Friday of that same week. The program concludes around 12:30 pm on Friday. (Lunch on Friday is not included.)
Please let us know at least one week in advance if you will be making a late arrival (i.e., after 4:30pm on Monday). Should you miss a flight or experience any other major delay in your travel schedule, please immediately contact the Notre Dame Vision office at (574) 631-7425.
Notre Dame Vision does not have access to housing or luggage storage for participants before or after the program week.
The program will conclude on Friday with Mass at 11:30 am in DeBartolo Hall and then participants will be dismissed to return to the dorms to pick up luggage and depart. Plan to be picked up around 12:30 pm at your dorm or you can depart for the airport at that time.
Location and Travel
Notre Dame is located in northern Indiana, just outside the city of South Bend. It is only a few minutes south of the Michigan border and 100 miles east of Chicago on the Indiana Toll Road (80/90) at exit 77. Notre Dame is a self-contained community with its own security police force and fire department. We are on Eastern Time, which is the same as New York, one hour ahead of Chicago and three hours ahead of Los Angeles.
You will find helpful information about travel to and from South Bend at www.sbnair.com and nd.edu/visit. You may also call (800) 366-3772 for Anthony Travel Service, the University’s official travel agency.
If you drive to campus: Exit the Toll Road at Exit 77, and follow the map provided to park in the Rugby/Wilson Lots. Walk to Geddes to register where you will receive a campus access pass, then return to your car to drive to your assigned dorm to quickly unload and move your car to the lot indicated on your access pass.
If you fly or take the South Shore Rail to South Bend Regional Airport: The South Bend Airport is approximately a 15-minute cab/Uber ride from the Notre Dame campus. (Note that the Amtrak train station is at a different location.) Ask the Uber/cab driver to drop you off at “Library Circle.”
If you are flying into Chicago airports: The shuttle bus between Chicago Airports and South Bend ceased operation in December 2019. There is a transportation company unrelated to the University called Blue & Gold Transportation which you can contact to make your own arrangements. (The University does not promote this company, we only offer it as a suggestion/option.) It is encouraged to fly into South Bend Airport. If Chicago is your only option, you could take the train, bus, or cab to Millennium Station, and then take the South Shore from there to its final stop at the South Bend airport.
If you are traveling in a coach bus with a large group of participants: Direct the bus driver to stop at “Library Circle.” Do not unload luggage from the bus, but have all participants disembark and walk to Geddes Hall for Registration. After completing Registration, the participants will be directed to their residence halls, and depending on the halls assigned, it might be better for the bus to drive to the other side of campus. Coach buses are not allowed onto campus. The only places to load/unload are Library Circle, McKenna Hall (across from the Morris Inn), and in front of the Bookstore.
ATTIRE
Casual attire will be right for your week at CYM. Weather at Notre Dame: Plan for a warm and humid South Bend summer, with temperatures typically in the 70s/80s during the day and occasionally in the 90s. A raincoat and umbrella might also be necessary. We strongly recommend bringing a sweater, sweatshirt, or jacket for cool nights and, more important, very cool air-conditioned classrooms, auditoriums, and chapels.
Good walking shoes are a must, as Notre Dame is a pedestrian campus. There will be multiple walks each day of 10–15 minutes each between the buildings where CYM activities take place.
If you have difficult or limited mobility, you are strongly encouraged to consider renting a scooter from Alick’s Home Medical for $100/week. Contact them directly at 1-800-633-4144.
Relationship w/ Vision high school conference
The CYM conference is intentionally designed as a separate, but parallel conference with Vision. The overlapping shared sessions are planned for this year’s theme and the CYM sessions build and expand upon those.
For those who are bringing high school students, they will be participating in a distinct experience from you during the week. Although there are times for shared sessions, meals, and prayer experiences, the Vision staff has the primary responsibility for the high school students from registration until after the closing mass.
Packing
Listed below are recommended items to pack along with helpful hints from previous Vision CYM participants. You will be staying in a college dorm room that will only have a bed, dresser, desk, chair, and closet/storage area. The dorm has eco-friendly air-conditioning.
- Suitcase: A large suitcase with wheels is easier to carry across campus than multiple smaller bags.
- Shower Shoes/Sandals & Bath Towel and/or Bathrobe: There is one male and one female bathroom on each floor and you may have to walk a bit down the hall to the shower. Towels are provided, but they are on the small side so you might want something more.
- Extra Pillow/Blanket: Bed linens, a pillow, and towels will be provided, though you may consider bringing an additional blanket, towel and fitted sheet (extra-long twin) for more comfortable sleeping.
- Good Walking Shoes: There will be a lot of walking as this is a pedestrian campus (no cars allowed) and Vision CYM events take place in different parts of campus. Plan on walking 10-15 minutes each time between the dorm, dining hall, and meeting spaces, then decide which shoes to bring. (If you have issues with mobility, you can rent an electric scooter from Alick’s Home Medical for $100/week. You would need to contact them directly at 1-800-633-4144.)
- Sweatshirt/Sweater/Jacket: While the summers in South Bend can be very hot and humid, the A/C in many of the buildings is frigid. Bring a sweater for inside but dress for hot summer days in South Bend.
- Raincoat/Poncho/Umbrella: It might rain once, all week, or not at all. It is better to be prepared.
- Athletic Attire: There are beautiful paths around the lakes and across campus for exercise.
- Watch/Alarm Clock: There is not an alarm clock in the dorm room, so plan on some way of waking yourself up so you don’t miss anything.
- Flashlight or Reading Light: Sometimes there are not reading lights in the rooms, so bring one if you need a reading/nightlight.
- Bible, journal, whatever helps you retreat: there will be ample time for reflection and prayer.
- Spending money: for speakers’ books and resources, Bookstore purchases, and Notre Dame Vision Merchandise.
