Prof. Thigpen
Moreau First Year Experience
15 October 2021
To Believe or Not to Believe
	Every human on the planet has a set of beliefs that define who they are as a person. Beliefs are derived from trying to make meaning out of life which is experienced differently by each person. People may have similar beliefs, but how they developed those beliefs is what sets each human apart. I have a twin who is genetically the same person as me, however, our development through different experiences led to our different beliefs and how we interpret the world. Throughout the first couple weeks of class, I have come to realize the importance of reflection and meditation, or what my mom likes to call, “soul-searching,” on who I am as a person and who I want to become. However, I have always felt like I know who I am, living in a supportive home and community with strong values. I learned from them how to be confident and assured in my beliefs which is the very basis of having a belief. 
	I believe that I am searching for belonging. When I looked at who I wanted to be and what I valued in life, I wanted an education that would not only instruct me but nurture me as a human. There are so many opportunities that I would not be able to find at Purdue because Notre Dame is centered around Catholicism, and it is so prevalent. My faith life is something that I value, and I believe that by choosing to be a student at Notre Dame, I will be able to nurture it along with a great technical education. Just as Fr. Sorin came to South Bend for the first time with a vision for a great college (“Fr. Sorin Letter to Bl. Basil Moreau” by Fr. Sorin – Moreau FYE Week Five), so am I walking on the campus of one of the top universities envisioned by Fr. Sorin, for the first time wondering if I will find my people. The community of Notre Dame is unlike any other school, and I believe that I am not far from finding my belonging within this community. This journey that I am on was shaped by my stories, whether about success or failure, and there is so much more in store for me if I continue to uphold my values alongside my education and time here at Notre Dame.
I believe that I forge life-giving relationships by putting in effort to sustain healthy relationships. My mom always said that relationships aren’t one-way streets. It takes the effort of both people in the relationship to sustain a fruitful relationship (“Healthy Vs. Unhealthy Relationships” by The Red Flag Campaign – Moreau FYE Week Four). I am thankful every day that I have my parents as role models in my life who show me what it is like to be in a healthy relationship. Not only are they role models, but they are active in teaching me ways to form and sustain this kind of relationship. Especially in college, it is important to form the right kind of relationships because these are the ones that will last a lifetime if they are healthy. It’s also a perfect time to figure out the best way to balance social and academic life.
I believe that I am made to grow closer to God and praise him by using my talents he gave me to better the world. He prepared me to live out my life as He planned, placing me on this earth with strong roots that are only strengthening me and making me feel more assured in what I believe. Where I am from, where God planted me, has been the biggest influence on my root beliefs. Looking around at other people around me, I can see there are people with maybe weaker roots or stronger roots, fertile soil or infertile soil, or fruit-bearing seeds or cone-bearing seeds. The diversity of humans is what makes us unique in what we give to others and what we are capable of sharing. (“Where I’m From” by George Ella Lyon – Moreau FYE Week Six). For me individually, God made me to be right where I am today, stemming from the place where I am from.
I believe that I grow by the challenges God has chosen for me to face. I had a traumatic event in my life that was a moment of growth, self-awareness, and character building. I had to disqualify myself from a golf tournament because I had accidentally broken the rules. No one knew about it except for me, and I could have easily kept silent and go to the next big tournament. However, I had to do some soul searching and deep thought about what this decision really meant: what do I really value in my life? Adam 1 where I get to play at a bigger stage and possibly at the state tournament with all the accolades, or Adam 2 where I can look myself in the mirror every morning knowing I demonstrated integrity (“Should You Live for Your Resume or Your Eulogy?” by David Brooks – Moreau FYE Week Two). Ever since then, fairness and honesty have played bigger roles in my life because I realize that I value them. People say they value these things, but do they realize why or deepen their thoughts? I also believe I came out of that event with more perspective. One golf tournament is not the end of the world; neither are the achievements I received along the way. My materialistic-self missed the awards and was angry for a very short amount of time compared to my value-based self that gained the priceless lessons and character construction for the rest of my life. It is all fleeting and people need to make sure they prioritize according to their values.
I believe that I am responsible for my emotions and how I respond. Before leaving for college, I was really trying to push away all the feelings that come with change. I mostly pushed away the negative emotions which eliminated the ability to feel the positive emotions. I regret being anxious and not looking at the bigger picture of what this time in my life truly means for me and my family. And even though I busied myself to avoid the feelings, I’m still facing them every day. I’m learning to sit in the discomfort and embrace this new experience because most of the freshmen are feeling the same discomfort and uncertainty as me. In order to feel connected and a part of the community here at Notre Dame I need to truly believe that I’m worthy of belonging and being connected. According to Dr. Brown, this is the difference between people who have a strong sense of belonging and those that do not (“The Power of Vulnerability” by Brené Brown – Moreau FYE Week One). I believe this will make a difference in my experience that I am responsible for, here at Notre Dame. I can choose to be vulnerable and get the most out of the experience or choose to close myself off to amazing opportunities and the community at Notre Dame.
I believe that I pursue truth by praying to God. Faith has played an important role in my life and there are many instances where I’ve had to remind myself to slow down and have faith in God. There have also been many instances where I am grateful for being in the calm and peaceful state of waiting for God to reveal himself. After realizing that I need to take a step back occasionally, and take time for some deep thought, my perspective on the world has never been the same. Deep thought allows me to think about my life and pray to God about my discernment. I need to trust in Him that he has a plan for me and whatever it is I will carry it out to serve the world (“Faith Brings Light to a Dark World” by Professor David Fagerberg – Moreau FYE Week Three). Because that is what everyone is called to do in their lifetime: use their God-given gifts to then serve those in need.
I believe that my community should be a source of strength and courage to be vulnerable. I grew up in a sheltered environment, being from an affluent, Christian, and predominantly white suburb of Chicago. Without experiencing the stories of other people from other backgrounds, I would only have one story of them: my bias (“Danger of a Single Story” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – Moreau FYE Week Seven). As someone grows older, the idea is that they will learn from their experiences and mature. However, this assumes that everyone will have the opportunity to gain different experiences. During my childhood I never got that opportunity because I was very sheltered in my community. Having this community is a blessing, but it just reminds me that I need to get outside of it to find the truth. Stepping outside my comfort zone is the major way that I search for truth mainly because my comfort zone is my community that isn’t ridden with problems that could harm me.
All these thought provoking and reflective questions have challenged me to rethink what I believe. However, I have always felt like I have a strong sense of who I am because of the environment I came from; a supportive and confident community. That is not to say I am closed off to the other perspectives presented, but I am confident in what I believe right now and have actually been reassured by the other perspective in what I know I do not believe.