10-12-2021 Beliefs: The Music of Personality I believe that when people hide something, they are doing this because it is personal. With this belief, I feel it is easy to respect people who are less vulnerable or do not volunteer. For example, in my Moreau class most people may feel their response to a Week’s homework is personal. Of course, this is just an assumption, but an assumption that can keep you from labeling someone as lazy or unresponsive to the class. Still, you can also think that a person is shy or may feel too tired, stressed, or sad, leading them to not volunteer. Brené Brown describes this vulnerability as something that can be comfortable, excruciating, or in between (“The Power of Vulnerability” - Moreau FYE Week One). Another example I could bring up is talking about my house life. I feel some details are too personal to tell many of the people here, yet, since I only just met my new friends and peers. I believe that my hidden qualities are just as important as my unhidden ones. For example, I feel telling the truth is very important even if I can just lie. However, this measure of truth can be seen by a few others and me, but not by most of the people I have met. In “Should You Live for Your Resume or Your Eulogy?,” David Brooks explains this quality as deeper in our being which is seen within a eulogy, while are unhidden qualities are open and seen in our resumés (Moreau FYE Week Two). Even though he talks of this being deeper, I would say our unhidden qualities are still important to who we are. It is the sections of your resumé that asks for your differences to others, as well as your personality, reasoning for doing something, and more. At Notre Dame, I feel it is important to be nice to others, that is an example of something that is less hidden. At the same time, I try to be truthful about my true personality and if I need help with homework or not or being true to myself by not doing things because of peer pressure. I believe that religions enable us to keep going. My thought is that the world follows God to respect his power and to see the great world of heaven and ‘the end’. Also, with God as a part of your reasoning, the meaning of life becomes clear. As seen in “Faith Brings Light to a Dark World,” happiness and hope are generated from this following, allowing for beauty to be seen in this world created by him (Professor David Fagerberg - Moreau FYE Week Three). Even though I do not believe in a religion myself (I consider myself Muslim, but do not believe in Allah), I think that the community and following is wholesome. For example, the reason I go to mass is the peacefulness I feel, and to see the community that I am in. I then give respect to religions and can see similarities to the pleasant community I saw when I visited a Mosque back at home. I believe that friends can become your sisters and brothers. What I mean by this, is that a lot of my friends back at home are so trustworthy that I could trust them with as much as my own brother or family. Most friendships should make you feel “like you’re investing in something long-term" (“5 Signs You’re in a Toxic Friendship” by Olivia T. Taylor - Moreau FYE Week Four). What I get from this is the fact that a lot of great friendships may lead to you knowing more about them and them knowing more about you. At Notre Dame, I can feel the start of these relationships, particularly in my Calc. One class. The main reason why is that I feel happy to see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Qm9cGRub0&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Qm9cGRub0&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlLWTeApqIM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlLWTeApqIM https://bit.ly/2MwCxs4 https://bit.ly/2MwCxs4 https://grottonetwork.com/navigate-life/relationships/signs-of-toxic-friendships/ them every day I go to the class and have very pleasant conversations. From the observation of what I believe, I feel that college life will truly lead to me gaining friends throughout my life. I believe that all humans make mistakes but get back up with valuable experience. As stated in Carla Harris’ speech, this will enable you to do better; because of setbacks, you will learn lessons that will improve your future (“2021 Laetare Medalist Address” - Moreau FYE Week Five). In my limited college experience, I can see these lessons toward responsibility. I completed a long essay for Anthropology and only realized after doing it that it is easier than I was expecting. I just needed to stay focused, so to allow myself to assess the difficulty and find a plan of action for completing the assignment. From this, I will start projects and essays early on, or at least skim through the directions and expectations, to realize the difficulty. I believe that the people around you have shaped you. For my poem, I focused on my family shaping me because they have had a big impact. At the same time, I feel my friends, peers, and teachers have done something similar, even if it is only at a smaller scale. Still, the assignment of Week Six might have requested to do more on location and culture, but I realized while making the poem and even before this in High School that my true origins are my family. My poem was my more authentic self. To make it properly, you have to “learn to let it lead you” (“Where I'm From” by George Ella Lyon - Moreau FYE Week Six). With this, I was able to appreciate my family more, or even the many peers I will meet in college that may shape me into a new person. I believe that everyone should be given a chance no matter what their stereotype. This stereotype may be negative toward many individuals, especially toward Black Americans, immigrants, and many other types of groups. However, implicit bias should be stopped and hindered. Implicit bias only leads to unnatural paranoia and even friendships. “It isn’t nice to think we aren’t very nice,” (“How to Think About 'Implicit Bias” by Keith Payne, Laura Niemi, and John M. Doris - Moreau FYE Week Seven) but the first step in eliminating hate because of stereotypes is by realizing this first. Many examples could easily be how a lot of students here are white, and my old school was primarily minority. I need to realize that the stereotypes towards white individuals, especially the negative ones like some being racist and overprivileged, is dangerous to think of. Luckily, all the people I have met, no matter their race, have been positive and welcoming. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjSwjn-SyB4 http://www.georgeellalyon.com/where.html https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-think-about-implicit-bias/