Moreau Intergration 2 My Transformative College Experience and How I Responded My first semester of undergraduate university has by far been one of the most transformative experiences of my life. Not only have I learned many new things in my classes and how to live by myself, I have also discovered so much about myself, the world, and others. The cause for this new growth can no doubt be attributed to all of the new things I have encountered this semester. The way I responded to these new encounters has been shaped by my experiences at Notre Dame and is representative of the growth I have undergone. During my time at Notre Dame, I have encountered a lot of new communities. The first and most obvious community was the one surrounding my residence hall, but even within the dorm itself I discovered even more communities. Communities, as I have discovered throughout the first semester, are the building blocks for creating an inclusive culture at the university. If it wasn’t for the amazing communities within my residence hall, it likely would have taken me much longer to feel like Notre Dame was my home. I’ve also learned that a very important part of a strong community is having strong leaders within the community. Leadership within a community can take many different forms, and I believe that it is best described by Parker J. Palmer, “Leadership for community requires authority, a form of power that is freely granted to the leader by his or her followers. (Thirteen Ways of Looking at Community by Parker J Palmer - Moreau FYE Week 11)” An example of a strong leader within my community are the RAs within my residence hall. They all care a lot about the community within the dorm, specifically making it a welcoming and inclusive place for everyone. One way they do this is by trying to make themselves available to everyone in the dorm as often as possible, and by encouraging everyone in the section they are responsible for to participate in dorm events. Because these communities are so important to me, I have done my best to respond by being an active part in these communities, especially in leadership roles. I have also encountered brokenness during my time at Notre Dame. Although they were sometimes difficult to face, while at Notre Dame I have had discussions about prejudice against others on the basis of things like race, class, culture, et cetera and what can be done to combat these issues. One important example of this discussion was during a Mindfulness Training session I attended with my friends on Saturday. There we learned strategies on how we can be http://couragerenewal.org/parker/writings/13-ways-of-looking-at-community/ http://couragerenewal.org/parker/writings/13-ways-of-looking-at-community/ more aware of the things we do that might unintentionally fuel brokenness within our Notre Dame family. The way I have tried to respond to brokenness is through love and understanding. This new attitude was fueled in part by a quote I read from Father Jenkins, “Second, if we’re going to do battle with hatred, we have to accept for practical purposes that hatred is not out there. It is in here — ready to rise in disguise inside of us, posing as virtue, sowing destruction. (Wesley Theological Seminary Commencement Address by Father John Jenkins - Moreau FYE Week 10)” Another thing I have encountered at Notre Dame was adversity. Whether it was the stress of an upcoming test, social anxiety, or the grief of being away from home, there were many difficult obstacles I had to overcome. Responding to adversity in a healthy way is very important because adversity has the potential to cause immense sadness, or sometimes even trauma. I personally really connect with the way the church calls for us to respond to adversity: to see it as an opportunity for personal growth and rely upon scripture and your community for guidance. This idea is captured excellently in a piece by The Campus Ministry of Notre Dame, “One does not have to be a Christian to believe that adversity does, or at least can, make people stronger and prepare them for harder challenges in the future, but no education in the faith is complete without an understanding of how the cross is much more than a burden once carried by Jesus. (Holy Cross and a Christian Education by the Campus Ministry at the University of Notre Dame Moreau FYE Week 12)” The final thing I have encountered this semester was feelings of self doubt, partially as a result of some of the adversity I had to overcome. I remember specifically after a poor performance on my third calculus midterm where I began to question my belonging at Notre Dame. However, after I reflected and found support from my friends, I realized that I had been holding myself to an arbitrary expectation that didn’t exist. Neither my friends nor family felt any less of me because I got a bad grade on one midterm. As Julia Hogan wrote, “Not only are these expectations arbitrary, but they will almost always backfire on you. You can’t live your life according to the expectations of others. When you do, you aren’t living your own life — you’re living someone else’s life. (Why Letting Go of Expectations is a Freeing Habit by Julia Hogan - Moreau FYE Week 9) https://president.nd.edu/homilies-writings-addresses/wesley-theological-seminary-commencement/ https://president.nd.edu/homilies-writings-addresses/wesley-theological-seminary-commencement/ https://president.nd.edu/homilies-writings-addresses/wesley-theological-seminary-commencement/ https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/24970/files/188305?module_item_id=105110 https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/24970/files/188305?module_item_id=105110 https://grottonetwork.com/navigate-life/health-and-wellness/letting-go-of-expectations/?utm_source=fall_2021&utm_medium=class&utm_id=moreau In conclusion, my first semester of undergraduate study has been one of the most transformative experiences I have ever gone through, perhaps the most transformative in recent memory. As I mentioned in my previous integration, I believe that the purpose of life is to try to become the best version of yourself as possible. I believe that this can only be accomplished through undergoing incredibly transformative experiences and encountering new things. I look forward not only to the next semester of my freshman year, but also the rest of my time at Notre Dame because of how transformative my first semester was. I remember being very skeptical when my parents emphasized how important college was to a person’s growth as an individual, but now after my first semester I finally understand what they were talking about. I would not trade my first semester experience for the world, and I am so glad I was able to have it in such a great place and community, here at Notre Dame.