Integration Two McClintock 1 Finn McClintock Mr. Retartha Moreau FYE 3 December 2021 Finding and Developing Different Ideas During my first semester at Notre Dame and in the Moreau First Year Experience, I have encountered new ideas from my peers around me and my new living situation away from my family. Among the ideas that we have discussed are struggling with imposter syndrome, differing political thoughts, and varying views of community and religion. Living with people different from myself, especially being away from family, has given me an opportunity to develop my own opinions on these topics. One topic that we have discussed, especially as a group of semi-Notre Dame students, is imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is certainly something that I have felt in recent years. Being denied from Notre Dame but accepted into Gateway is an easy source of uneasiness to point to. While we Gateways may graduate with the same ND ‘25 in our bios, the different route can make us feel like imposters in the room, even as we achieve the same successes. The video mentioned that “there’s often no threshold of accomplishment that puts these feelings to rest,” and that even people like Thomas Edison felt inadequate (“What is imposter syndrome and how can you combat it?” by Elizabeth Cox - Moreau FYE Week Nine). So, I am sure that not only Gateways but other Notre Dame students, even those on track to graduate with fancy Latin distinctions, experience these feelings. While imposter syndrome is a very real challenge, it is possible to control what expectations we hold in our minds for ourselves. Applying to colleges, I had the expectation that I would get accepted to Notre Dame in December and relax for the https://youtu.be/ZQUxL4Jm1Lo https://youtu.be/ZQUxL4Jm1Lo McClintock 2 remaining months of school. Failing to reach that expectation was devastating, even as I received good news from other institutions. Too often, I find myself holding a single great expectation, and I can put blinders on that, covering other successes in my life. While my fellow gateways and I may share the quality of imposter syndrome, we differ greatly on a variety of opinions. Political disagreement is the most obvious disagreement to point out in society, and is something I have experienced at Notre Dame. Talking with other students with less progressive views than I hold, I found myself getting upset. I have realized that I do not have much skill in dealing with differing opinions. In Father Jenkins’ Wesley Theological Seminary Commencement, he noted that “at a time of expanding diversity of people and moral opinions — when we need more skill and wisdom in engaging those with other views — we seem to be less skillful, less wise” (“Wesley Theological Seminary 2012 Commencement Address” by Fr. John Jenkins - Moreau FYE Week Ten). The past decade or two of politics has been revealing in the division of opinion in our country. To our credit, I do not think that Americans are truly super divided—many people on both sides would find their moral opinions to be quite similar. However, as Fr. Jenkins said, we lack the skill and wisdom necessary to deal with the differences that do exist in our opinions. One specific issue that seems to be perennially divisive is race and related issues like Critical Race Theory. I attended a presentation at Notre Dame by Gloria Purvis titled “Racial Justice: Solidarity and the Church’s Call to Action.” From a religious perspective, Purvis pointed out that God created one human family in his image. Thus, all of humanity is related through this common bond, and should want each other to flourish. However, laws and practices in the United States from its creation until today have given a “royal status” to white people over other races, contrary to God’s wishes. While those who attended the lecture were receptive to and in https://president.nd.edu/homilies-writings-addresses/wesley-theological-seminary-commencement/ https://president.nd.edu/homilies-writings-addresses/wesley-theological-seminary-commencement/ McClintock 3 agreement with Purvis, I am sure that some of my peers at ND are in opposition to her claims. Personally, I see Critical Race Theory as an important step in recognizing that our society is not and has not been an equal platform for all people, and a necessary measure in taking steps to create more equality. However, some of my classmates may point to Catholic Social Teaching and teachings like “love thy neighbor as thyself” as less controversial and a better step in addressing inequality. These differing opinions, though arguments can be frustrating, are a pivotal part of the college experience with students from around the country and world. In his talk "Diversity Matters," Professor Agustin Fuentes concluded that two disagreeing students “had learned something from each other, shared something. That’s important, that’s what college is supposed to be about” (“Diversity Matters!” by Professor Agustin Fuentes - Moreau FYE Week Eleven). I wholeheartedly agree that experiencing new identities, viewpoints, and culture is a valuable part of college. In Prof. Fuentes’ talk, he showed how American cities are heavily segregated, which can prevent people from having meaningful interactions with people of different backgrounds. My hometown is 85% white, and it is clearly noticeable when I go shopping or relax at the beach. While this underrepresentation of minorities is not a result of any malicious action, it can have damaging results: the lack of sharing new identities and ideas. So, it is important to view college as a chance to be open to different people and gain new experiences and practices. In my time at Notre Dame so far, I have definitely encountered a community much more diverse than mine at home, and it has been a gainful opportunity to learn from others. One area that I have taken the opportunity to learn more about from people around me at Notre Dame is religion. As a non-religious individual in one of the most Catholic schools in the country, it is an obvious chance for me to expand my knowledge. In my theology class, I have https://notredame.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=d14a0472-9c0e-44ea-bd39-53c67ee1d436 McClintock 4 learned a lot from my peers that have spent their lives attending church and Catholic school. Even in Moreau, I have learned about certain religious ideas like hope. In one satirical source, The Screwtape Letters quips “our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy’s (God’s) will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys” (“The Screwtape Letters” by C.S. Lewis - Moreau FYE Week Twelve). I think that this situation, while seen from a satirical perspective on religious Christians, offers a great perspective on hope. From the point of view of someone without hope, a hopeful person appears like the human of this story: unable to see any reason to believe in something, but obeying it nonetheless. In some more grounded experiences here at Notre Dame, football fans have hope in the team to reach the playoff even when chances appear bleak and some of my fellow gateways are still hopeful for housing despite only bad news being given. In this semester at Notre Dame, I have experienced a lot and taken away beliefs of myself and others. Encountering differing ideas and perspectives has been a valuable experience that is sure to continue in the next seven semesters at Notre Dame. https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/28317/files/189595?module_item_id=106352