Week 13 - Integration 2


1 Semester in Notre Dame

It is almost the end of the fall semester of my first year of Notre Dame. I said the exact

same thing in the last Integration assignment, but really, the same sentiment still applies here. I

have made quite a few important decisions in the past month or so, such as dropping my

chemistry laboratory class. Actually, I have also decided to take a gap year. I think it is the best

for my mental health and it would be beneficial for me to regain my love for learning, which has

diminished significantly in the last few months.

I feel like each generation of students, especially the class of 2024 and 2025, have had to

deal with imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is feeling not good enough to be in a certain

situation. In an article titled “Why Letting Go of Expectations is a Freeing Habit”, Julia Hogan

talked about how when we don’t meet expectations that others set on us, we feel worse than

when we set the expectations ourselves. The main takeaway from her article is to not care so

much about what others think and live our own lives. If we live our life based on the

expectations of other people, is that even our own lives? (“Why Letting Go of Expectations is a

Freeing Habit” by Julia Hogan - Moreau FYE Week 9)

As we are exposed to more and more events in our lives, we will see the good, the bad,

and the ugly that life brings us. In particular, the bad ones can break us, physically or mentally.

From the article Find Healing in Kintsugi Workshop (“Women Find Healing in Kintsugi

Workshop” by Grotto - Moreau FYE Week 10) it is suggested to instead run away from the bad

stuff that happened to us, we need to accept that it happened, and while we don’t have to find the

good in these situations, we should understand how those experiences have changed our lives

and maybe even learn from them.

https://grottonetwork.com/navigate-life/health-and-wellness/letting-go-of-expectations/?utm_source=fall_2021&utm_medium=class&utm_id=moreau
https://grottonetwork.com/navigate-life/health-and-wellness/letting-go-of-expectations/?utm_source=fall_2021&utm_medium=class&utm_id=moreau
https://grottonetwork.com/make-an-impact/heal/find-healing-through-kintsugi-art/
https://grottonetwork.com/make-an-impact/heal/find-healing-through-kintsugi-art/


Living in South Bend is a huge cultural shift from living in New York, just like how

moving from Hong Kong to New York was a huge change for me. One of the reasons for this

shift is the diversity of these places. Specifically, South Bend is significantly less diverse than

New York. Diversity matters (“Diversity Matters” by Agustin Fuentes - Moreau FYE Week 11)

because living in a diverse environment can further our understanding of other identities, while

at the same time learn about the similarities that bond us and appreciate the differences between

us. Furthermore we can use this opportunity to dispel any stereotypes that we previously had for

other identities.

https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/23733/modules/items/109241