Duty, Responsibility, and Competition Growing up, my parents thrusted me into countless competitions. It didn’t matter the type of competition: spelling bees, mathematics, dance, or piano. My parents, both Indian immigrants, lived and breathed competition. In a populous country like India, thousands compete for few opportunities. They struggled in a society in which one had to be crème de la crème to forge ahead. My parent’s view of success in a society never changed, not even after they moved to America. The same competitive culture in which they grew became my inheritance, my pride, and my framework. Competition can be both a negative and positive thing. Competitions can bring stress, trouble, and envy among friends. Many people only hear “the single story” of competition, of its darker side. They pay heed to the “single story” which shows competition “as one thing, as only one thing, over and over again, and that is what it becomes.” (“The Danger of a Single Story by Chimamanda Adichie – Moreau FYE Week 7) However, competitions can also help foster growth and comradery between groups of people. I’ve always been the “junior” one in everything. I skipped a grade, so I was always younger than my peers, and taking advanced classes only magnified the problem. When I first joined the Academic Decathlon (AD) team at 14, I remained the youngest as well. However, next year in AD, the “seniors” graduated, and I was one of two people that returned to the team. I wasn’t ever comfortable with a “senior” role, but my AD team needed someone to act as a “senior.” AD is not forgiving to inexperienced students. To succeed in AD, one must study in a completely different manner than in traditional education. I memorized thousands of statistics, lists, gave speeches and interviewed - new and unchartered territory for me, to say the least. It goes without saying that our team (made up of mostly newcomers) would be at a disadvantage. To make up for this disadvantage, I did everything that was within my power; I set up impromptu study meetings, tutored the team in math, gave tips about speech and interview, made 53 flashcard sets, and advised the team on how to study for AD. In the end, although it wasn’t my intention, I became the unofficial leader of AD. Every time we won a competition, the team would ask me to hold the trophy and jokingly ask me if my “back hurt after carrying the whole team.” This compliment (of sorts) would often confuse me because I didn’t seek praise. It made me happy to see my fellow team members succeed, and along with it, my school. Although I was uncomfortable with the role in the beginning, I wouldn’t have given up my role for anything. I built up not only my resume values, but my “eulogy values” as well- my “inner consistency and strength.” (“Should You Live for your Resume or Your Eulogy?” by David Brooks – Moreau FYE Week 2) My team eventually grew to be a family of sorts, and the comradery I found there is priceless to me. We shared our “dreams, fears, and concerns with each other.” ("Healthy Vs. Unhealthy Relationships" by The Red Flag Campaign – Moreau FYE Week 4) I let myself become vulnerable with these people and gained “the courage to be imperfect” with them. (“The Power of Vulnerability” by Brené Brown - Moreau FYE Week 1) Over these past 4 years, I learnt so much- not only from the competition studying, but from the authentic relationships I had within my team. I grow when I compete against others because they grow alongside me as well; friendly competition helps humanity as a whole grow. My parent’s emphasis on competition also stemmed from a desire to have me learn. The great Hindu mythological kings and heroes they had told me of, Arjuna and Rama, prized wisdom and learning. These heroes won their battles not by their strength, but by their cunning and wisdom. I wanted to be just like them when I was younger, and even now, I think of them as figures to look up to and to model my behavior off of. Just like the founder of Holy Cross believed in an approach to education involving “faith and reason”, I believe in pursuing truth by pursuing wisdom and knowledge about the world around me, and my Hindu faith augments my belief. ( “Two Notre Dames: Your Holy Cross Education” by Father Grove – Moreau FYE Week 5) My Hindu faith “alters the cockeyed lighting that makes us the center of the universe” in this manner, giving me a fundamental approach to the world that serves me best. (“Faith Brings Light to a Dark World by Professor Fagerberg – Moreau FYE Week 3) My culture and faith inherited from my parents doesn’t simply include competition. It also includes duty and responsibility. When I was younger, I had wondered what exactly my duties were. The great Indian heroes Ram and Yudhishthira who I had idolized valued their duties above all else. However, they were the kings of countries; it was clear what their duties were. I was simply a kid. What kind of grand duties did I carry? When I was younger, I was disappointed by how simple and boring my responsibilities were. As time passed, I tutored my little brother and sister, not just in mathematics, but in life as well. Only now, after my siblings and I were separated, do I truly recognize how heavy my duties actually were. I believe that I am responsible for my little brother and sister in every way. Along with my parents, it is my duty to help my siblings grow into the best versions of themselves. George Ella Lyon, in her “Where I’m From” poem, refers to herself as a “leaf-fall from the family tree,” her character originating in part from her grandfather and father’s guidance. (“Where I’m From” by George Ella Lyon – Moreau FYE Week 6) My duties and responsibilities similarly originate from my place as a leaf in my family tree. In the end, duty, responsibility, and competition are all values I hold close to my heart. I believe that through wisdom and knowledge, I can pursue truth, and it is my responsibility to do so. I believe that through friendly competition and the meaningful relationships that come with, I can grow. Last but not least, I believe my faith and culture, the framework that my parents passed down to me, are the foundation for these beliefs. Duty, Responsibility, and Competition Growing up, my parents thrusted me into countless competitions. It didn’t matter the type of competition: spelling bees, mathematics, dance, or piano. My parents, both Indian immigrants, lived and breathed competition. In a populous country like India, tho usands compete for few opportunities. They struggled in a society in which one had to be crème de la crème to forge ahead. My parent’s view of success in a society never changed, not even after they moved to America. T he same com petitive culture in which they grew became my inheri t ance, my pride, and my framework . Comp etition can be both a negative an d positive thing . C ompetitions can bring stress , trouble, and envy am ong friends. M a ny people only hear “ the single stor y ” of competition , of its darker side. T hey pay heed to the “ single story ” which shows competition “ as one thing, as only one thing, over and over again, and that is wh at it becomes. ” ( “ The Danger o f a Single Story by Chima manda Adichie – M or eau FYE Week 7) However, competitions can also help foster grow th and comradery between groups of people . I’ve always been the “junior” one in everything. I skipped a grade, so I was always younger than my peers, and taking advanced classes only m agnified the problem. When I first joined the Academic Decathlon (AD) team at 14, I remained the youngest as well. However, next year in AD, the “seniors” graduated, and I was one of two people that returned to the team. I wasn’t ever comfortable with a “s enior” role, but my AD team needed someone to act as a “senior.” AD is not forgiving to inexperienced students. To succeed in AD, one must study in a completely different manner than in traditional education. I memorized thousands of statistics, lists, ga ve speeches and interviewed - new and unchartered territory for me, to say the least. It goes without saying that our team (made up of mostly newcomers) would be at a disadvantage. To make up for this disadvantage, I did everything that was within my powe r; I set up impromptu study meetings, tutored the team in math, Duty, Responsibility, and Competition Growing up, my parents thrusted me into countless competitions. It didn’t matter the type of competition: spelling bees, mathematics, dance, or piano. My parents, both Indian immigrants, lived and breathed competition. In a populous country like India, thousands compete for few opportunities. They struggled in a society in which one had to be crème de la crème to forge ahead. My parent’s view of success in a society never changed, not even after they moved to America. The same competitive culture in which they grew became my inheritance, my pride, and my framework. Competition can be both a negative and positive thing. Competitions can bring stress, trouble, and envy among friends. Many people only hear “the single story” of competition, of its darker side. They pay heed to the “single story” which shows competition “as one thing, as only one thing, over and over again, and that is what it becomes.” (“The Danger of a Single Story by Chimamanda Adichie – Moreau FYE Week 7) However, competitions can also help foster growth and comradery between groups of people. I’ve always been the “junior” one in everything. I skipped a grade, so I was always younger than my peers, and taking advanced classes only magnified the problem. When I first joined the Academic Decathlon (AD) team at 14, I remained the youngest as well. However, next year in AD, the “seniors” graduated, and I was one of two people that returned to the team. I wasn’t ever comfortable with a “senior” role, but my AD team needed someone to act as a “senior.” AD is not forgiving to inexperienced students. To succeed in AD, one must study in a completely different manner than in traditional education. I memorized thousands of statistics, lists, gave speeches and interviewed - new and unchartered territory for me, to say the least. It goes without saying that our team (made up of mostly newcomers) would be at a disadvantage. To make up for this disadvantage, I did everything that was within my power; I set up impromptu study meetings, tutored the team in math,