Moreau First Year Experience 1 Dec 2021 Fighting Uncertainty with The Power of Clarity Saying that my first semester at Notre Dame has been eventful would be an understatement. Attending college brought on a variety of new academic and social experiences in my life. I knew that the adjustment to college would take a while to get used too, especially at Notre Dame. It is an entirely different culture than what I am used to in my home of Miami, Florida. The weather, people, and distance from home was all shocking to me. All of this led to me experiencing uncertainty. I did not know how I would respond to the new challenges of college. However, I believe that the Moreau First Year Experience Course has helped me come with an answer to the challenges. Whether it be better defining my values or understanding others better, I believe that I have applied what I have learned in Moreau to my experiences at Notre Dame. This sense of clarity has helped me in what was a very uncertain situation at first. I was uncertain if I belonged at Notre Dame. I remember that when I applied to the school, I was not sure if my test scores and grades would be enough for the high academic expectations of Notre Dame. When I first heard back from the school, I found out that I had been waitlisted. When I was eventually taken off the waitlist and admitted, I was very excited but also felt uncertain if I belonged at Notre Dame. I experienced Imposter Syndrome. This did not change in my early time on campus as I heard that many of my peers had gotten nearly perfect scores on all their exams and never got Bs in high school. Week 9 of the course helped me with my feelings of not belonging. It helped me realize that I worked hard to get where I am, and I should be proud of that. Julia Hogan says, “Instead of letting your life be ruled by the expectations of others or your own expectation that you must perfect, what if you just did your best?” (“Why Letting Go of Expectations is a Freeing Habit” by Julia Hogan – Moreau FYE Week Nine) I realized that it didn’t matter if I felt I was undeserving of being at Notre Dame, I was here. Instead of trying to be perfect, I am trying to do the best I can in everything I do. Academically, I feel that if I try my best than I will be fine with whatever outcome. Although I always wanted to attend Notre Dame. I was nervous for college life. Being in a completely new place, I missed my friends from home, and I also wondered if I would be able to make new friends. One thing that helped me was realizing that everyone was likely going through the same experience I was and wanted to meet new people. Through Moreau, I have learned to appreciate community. I appreciate both the community of Keenan Hall and Notre Dame as a whole. I feel that my dorm, Keenan Hall, is a great example of a community being built the right way. I have made friends from different parts of the country and world. That has led to differences in cultures and opinions, but I believe community is about accepting and respecting everyone. Parker J. Palmer described community well when he said, “The concept of community must embrace even those we perceive as “enemy.” (“Thirteen Ways of Looking at Community” by Parker J. Palmer – Moreau FYE Week Eleven). Though I don’t believe I have any enemies at Notre Dame, I think this quote is relevant to my experience. Community is about better understanding and respecting people. One example of this would be my relationship with my roommate. We both had differences on when we wanted to go to sleep or if we should be allowed to have our friends over during the day, but we were able to solve these differences. By understanding each of our points of view, I believe we get along better and have helped to better build the Notre Dame community. I believe that I have experienced some brokenness at Notre Dame. Though my experience has been a positive one, I have faced some challenges, especially with academics. Though I strive to do the best in everything I can, that does not guarantee I will get the outcome that I want. I relate with the theme of brokenness from Week 10 regarding approaching failure. Kirsten Helgeson says “I want people to also know that their hearts are breakable, and it’s a very good thing, that it’s worth celebrating because it allows you to grow and expand. And you get to put your heart back together.” (“Women Find Healing Through Kintsugi Workshop” by Kirsten Helgeson – Moreau FYE Week Ten). Personally, this quote seems to say that we do not always need to be perfect because it isn’t possible. There is a beauty in accepting that because it is the first step in trying to improve ourselves. Though I am applying this quote to academics, I believe it is relevant in social or other personal aspects of life. Rebuilding yourself after experiencing a break is crucial for self-improvement. Father James B. King said, “Striving for completeness means spending one’s life as a citizen of this world imitating the person of Christ as the gateway to citizenship in heaven.” (“Hope – Holy Cross and Christian Education” by Fr. James B. Kings, C.S.C. – Moreau FYE Week Twelve). This quote serves as a reminder to me of why I chose Notre Dame. It is different than your average college. I truly believe that my mind and heart are being cultivated. I believe that the Moreau course is a great example of this as it allows me to focus on issues like hope and faith that likely wouldn’t be present in another college’s curriculum. Notre Dame provides many ways which I believe I have grown in faith and hope. One clear way is through Section Grotto, a tradition in my dorm where all the members of our floor section attend the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes. After using my mind after a day of work, the grotto offers a chance for me to use my heart. Uncertainty was prevalent during the start of my Notre Dame journey. Luckily, I have encountered community and hope which has allowed me to fight off various negatives like imposter syndrome and brokenness. I believe I am a more complete person for experiencing this clarity. However, I still have a lot of room for growth. My Notre Dame journey has just gotten started, and I now feel that I have a foundation for what I want to get out of it.