MOREAU INT 3 One Last Reflection (but like again pt. 5 the fourteenth sequel) So, I’m dead, or something. Kind of a bummer. If I learned anything from the International Baccalaureate program in my high school, it’s how to reflect. So before I head out, let’s do that. Let’s take a look at my experience through the insightful and apt lens of my Moreau First Year Experience class and the many lessons that we learned through the first seven weeks of our second semester. In the first week of Moreau First Year Experience, we found balance in our lives through reading the article Why we need to slow down our lives which discussed how we spend so much time intaking information that we struggle to process it all. One memorable quote that the author, Pico Lyer mentioned was: “Whenever I finally force myself away from my desk for a day, of course, I find the opposite: the more time I spend away from my work, the better that work will be, most often.” ("Why we need to slow down our lives" by Pico Iyer - Moreau FYE Week One) This not only emphasized to me the importance of taking breaks during periods when I was working or studying, but also made me feel better about taking said breaks. Knowing that going outside or hanging out with friends helped me process and recharge my batteries quieted the voice saying I need to ‘be productive’ a little bit, which was nice. In the second week of Moreau First Year Experience, we watched the movie Hesburgh, a documentary about Fr. Hesburgh, detailing his impact on the Notre Dame community and all of the communities that he was in. (“Hesburgh” produced by Jerry Barca and Christine O’Malley - Moreau FYE Week Two) One of the main ideas that was a recurring theme in the film was the idea of “bridging the gap.” This idea was one that Fr. Hessburgh used to bring a lot of people together, and with all of these people beside him, was able to change his communities for the better. For us, we can learn from Fr. Hessburgh’s example: be kind to others, make friends and connections. Look around, the people you see are those who have connected with me, and through me, you. Wherever I’ve gone, I’m sure I’m already making more connections and meeting new friends. In the third week of Moreau First Year Experience, we discussed what questions guide a life well lived. One of the readings provided a specific set of questions we can ask ourselves, giving one answer to the question. The questions were: “Is this a source of joy? Is this something that taps into your talents and gifts and uses them in the fullest way possible? And, Is this role a genuine service to the people around you, to society at large?” (“Three Key Questions” by Father Michael Himes - Moreau FYE Week Three) Personally, I think that everyone can define a life well lived in their own way. For some who these questions speak to and are sufficient for, by all means live life to the fullest! If you can’t quite answer the questions yet, that’s also okay. Personally, I’ve been more of a drifter. Sometimes I would find passion and drive to push for new adventures and aspirations, and sometimes I would put on some warm socks and nap all day. Not all of us are going to change the world like Fr. Hesburgh, and that’s okay. Doing some good here and there, helping people smile on the day to day. Sometimes, that’s enough. https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/ https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/39695/modules/items/144736 https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/39695/files/469291?module_item_id=144741 In the fourth and fifth week of Moreau First Week Experience, we discussed jobs, and planning our futures. Although what once was the future is now the past, with plenty of future still yet to come. We explored ourselves with the VIPS service (“Navigating Your Career Journey” Meruelo Family Center for Career Development - Moreau FYE Week Four) as well as an interview with someone close to us. (I interviewed my friends and family) Some of the main takeaways from these two weeks for me were that your first job probably won’t be the one you do for your entire life, and to appreciate the people around you, and those who helped you to get to where you are today. Just going back, and touching base is really nice. Who knows? You might also be reminded of some really nice things that you had forgotten about. I was, and it made me smile. For the sixth week of Moreau First Week Experience, I pondered “How do we deal with daily struggles?” For me, before this week, I would try to solve the problem. This works for some things, like dirty laundry, and certain assignments, but not always. One article we read had an interesting answer to my query: Asking what instead of why. (“The Right Way to be Introspective (Yes, There's a Wrong Way)” by Tasha Eurich - Norway FYS Week Six) There were times where I did this before I knew about this strategy. But learning about exactly what it was helped me be more mindful and start intentionally managing my thoughts and ideas. I also think that there are times when it is okay to take a break, and to walk away from whatever is stressing you. However, I’ve found that there is a difference between taking time to get into a better headspace and avoiding the problem altogether. Take care of yourself For the seventh week of Moreau First Week Experience, we talked about relationships. I wondered how we find the relationships that help us find a life well lived. Oftentimes, it feels like we can only really see that we have one of these types of relationships once we’ve lost it. I guess this applies with more than just relationships. We don’t really realize how nice we have it until we don’t have it anymore. One example of this was in the reading for the week: “He was not my enemy. He was my friend. We worked together.” (“Chapter 8_ Jurisdiction” from Tattoos on the Heart - Moreau FYS Week Seven) these words were only said after the referenced person had their life taken too early. I don’t doubt that they had a form of friendship before this comment, so why is it so hard to just say something? Obviously it isn’t that easy because otherwise we would just say something. I guess it really comes down to really taking account of what we have and being thankful for what we have. The people in our lives, the sun that rises and shines - even if only through clouds - every day, and cookies. Cookies are really tasty. https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/ https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/39695/modules/items/144754 https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/39695/modules/items/144754 https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/39695/files/523981?module_item_id=167999