Professor Anthony Polotto
Moreau First Year Experience
14 October 2021
The Discernment of Beliefs
	In the matter of just two months, I have managed to understand so much about myself. Being alone, separated from family, the ability to make decisive choices rested on my hands. With so much unrestricted freedom, I had to learn to grapple between managing time for both social and educational life. While it’s only been two months, my entrance into this self-driven school community has inspired me and helped me develop a few foundational beliefs. 
	As an undergraduate student, I believe that I pursue truth by gathering the courage to venture into the zones of my personal vulnerability. “Vulnerability is the core of shame and fear and our struggle for worthiness, but it appears that it's also the birthplace of joy, of creativity, of belonging, of love (“The Power of Vulnerability” By Brene Brown – Moreau FYE Week One).” While being vulnerable can be seen as an agonizing and shameful experience, it always results with the transmittance of one’s self-truth and the release of one’s identity. Vulnerability will expose every one of their weaknesses, but in turn will generate the birthplace of several new, beautiful characteristics, which define and shape the essence of who one is. As I reflect on this concept of vulnerability, I turn to my saddened experience of receiving a low score on my first chemistry quiz. While others seemed to grasp the concepts at a fast pace, I fell behind, and never tried to consult for help, due to my fear of my friends’ thoughts. However, I exposed my vulnerable state in chemistry by seeking tutoring through office hours. This eventual concrete step that I took allowed me to generate better results and perform better on my quizzes. 
	Cultivating the growth of one’s authentic self is a difficult task. Authenticity, especially regarding oneself, is displaying every perspective of that individual. I believe that I can grow as my most authentic self by also attending to my struggles and weaknesses. “And Soloveitchik argued that these two sides of our nature are at war with each other. We live in perpetual self-confrontation between the external success and the internal value (“Should You Live for Your Resume or Your Eulogy?” By David Brooks – Moreau FYE Week Two).” David Brooks introduces the concept of Adam I and Adam II life. An individual who follows the Adam I life generally attempts to please people, seek to reinforce their strengths whereas an individual who follows the Adam II life accepts the challenges presented by their vulnerabilities. When an individual practices the Adam I life, they are usually in battle with their consciousness – knowing that they should live the Adam II life, but dwells on the Adam I life. This semester, I encouraged myself to understand and remind myself of my struggles. Instead of repressing them, I took on the courage to fight them, and from this experience, I gained a new depth of understanding of my own character.
	I believe that through faith, I can gain the hope and trust from God, which sustains me. “Believing in God means believing in a greater good, a love so great that it is capable of purifying even the most unthinkable tribulations. Faith brings us together. Through God’s love, we are able to love one another deeper (“Student Reflections on Faith” By Nyah – Moreau FYE Week Three).” Faith is a source of nourishment for the heart and soul. Faith is not built upon a foundation of logic, but is cemented in a being’s core, guided, and instructed by God. For me, faith has always been a stronghold in my life. When the stress of school builds up, turning to God has always provided me the answer to my distress. Coming to Notre Dame, my first mission was to become an altar server at the Basilica. I managed to achieve this and have served a few times on the altar of the Basilica. Helping as a liturgical minister has given me the ability to grow in my faith during my first semester. “Your authenticity is your distinct competitive advantage. Nobody can be you the way you can be you (“2021 Laetare Medalist Address” By Carla Harris – Moreau FYE Week Five).” An individual’s authenticity is unique, because it is this authenticity that allows one to form their personal narrative. God has crafted every individual in a special way, as the struggles and talents each person possesses make them more personal and individualized. Thus, by trusting in God and the way God has made us, we can be able to understand ourselves more and utilize the power of our individuality to spark changes in the world. Through faith in God and trusting in the authenticity he has endowed on me, I can be able to sustain myself in a pleasant way, knowing that the creator has created me uniquely to serve the world. 
	They say that it is during college that you make your life-long friends. Coming to college, I was positive to build friendships not based on personal necessity but for a mutual respect and dignity for each person in the relationship. I believe that I can create meaningful relationships by finding those who can mutually love each other. “A good, healthy friendship is one where two people are mutually growing and on a path toward becoming better people…. (“5 Signs You’re in a Toxic Friendship” by Olivia T. Taylor – Moreau FYE Week Four). A friendship is not a form of a beneficiary relationship for one sole individual but rather it is a commitment to serve each other with the respect and dignity each human being deserves. During my first weeks of college, I attempted to discover those friendships of utility. A friendship of utility is characterized by the understanding of one’s friends’ character and being hopeful to uplift each other’s dreams and goals in the friendship. As the weeks have gone, I believe I have found a small number of people who admire me for who I am and in turn I admire them for who they are. This mutual admiration for each other’s character is what composes my belief of a meaningful relationship. 
	A community is the pivotal point of stories. The colling point of ideas, concepts, themes, and understandings. Thus, I believe that my community should foster the appraisal of multiple stories.  “The real problem is in our system of producing shared stories. If a country can’t tell narratives in which everybody finds an honorable place, then righteous rage will drive people toward tribal narratives that tear it apart (“How to Destroy Truth” By David Brooks – Moreau FYE Week 7).” The presence of a single story on a concept instigates the beginnings of stereotypes, as there is only one story to answer the several unanswered questions. A single story is dangerous. It forms from the negligence to be open minded. It forms from the innate belief to not eliminate stereotypes. In a college campus, as the community acknowledges each other’s stories, our minds will be enhanced with a special type of education. The education of experience. As people share their experiences, especially experiences of the lesser known, the community can work to eliminate biases. The presence of more stories provides for the various perspectives on a single topic. I strive to listen to others, and their unique stories. This will allow me to understand topics I am not aware about, but also love my fellow classmates for their experiences. 
	As I continue with my semester and eventually my four years, I hope to possibly strengthen these beliefs or even rewrite some of these beliefs. The growth one experiences through their interactions with others is remarkable. I hope to discover myself, my passions, my talents, my purpose, and even my weaknesses as I discern my personal beliefs as an individual.