integration two Nhat Nguyen Moreau 3 December 2021 What have I encountered and how will I respond? Throughout my time here at Notre Dame so far I have encountered many things that have allowed me to learn a lot about myself over the first semester. Being away from home has made me learn many things about myself that I was unable to realize in the past living at home with my parents. Moving away from home to go to school has I’ve one of the hardest things I've ever encountered; I’m forced to make my decisions in which I am required to be independent and wise with every situation and decision I am faced with. I believe that Notre Dame has forced me to face every challenge I encounter with a positive attitude with the knowledge that struggle will lead to personal growth and prosperity. Even since coming to college, I’ve been faced with many internal and external challenges when it comes to school, athletics, and social life. For example, many of my peers are very interested in getting the college experience of partying, drinking, and going out to bars. However, I have realized that being a student-athlete with a pre-health major makes it very difficult to balance these activities nor would I like to participate in them. This always conflicts with me because I feel that if I don’t go out and party I will miss out on forming friendships and a potentially good time. However, I have learned that my school work and athletic performance come above everything else. For example, in the article, Julia Hogan states “You can live your life according to others expectations.” This quotation illustrates that you must choose your path and make your priorities otherwise you will not be successful. When we listen to those around us, it becomes difficult for us to focus on our own goals which don’t promote success and individual growth. Perhaps creating a routine in which you stick to your goals can help one reach their full potential because preparing a routine allows one to stay on track with minimal distractions or issues that could lead to failure. Sometimes I set very high expectations for myself in which I, become very stressed over being perfect in lacrosse and school. In addition to this, I sometimes let others’ opinions and comments influence those aspects of my life in which I am faced with internal and external conflict. To overcome these conflicts I always try to create a plan and stick to a routine while weighing out the pros and cons of every situation. For example, if I don’t perform well in lacrosse I make a plan to work on what I’m struggling with, I stick to the routine to fix the issue, and lastly, I try to stay positive and block out distractions that could influence my goals. Finding a healthy way to handle conflict is essential to succeed in college and all aspects of life and if one always does their best they will achieve their dreams. Coming to college is one of the biggest transitions one will ever make in their lifetime. College requires you to face mental, physical, and emotional challenges that lead to personal growth and success due to facing challenges and hardships that make you a more well-rounded individual. Throughout my life, I encountered many challenges but nothing compared to the transition from college. When my Dad first came to visit me I immediately broke down into tears saying “college was too much.” I struggle to balance school, sports, and social life which led me to a breakdown. He sat and comforted me and reassured me that everything would be fine as long as I always tried my best. His wise words and comfort from my family, friends, and teammates stuck with me for the weeks to follow which allowed me to find my balance in which I started to become more successful in all aspects of my life. Father Jenkins states in an article that “Without conviction, there would be no hope.” This quotation suggests that conviction is an essential part of our lives that alludes to the idea that one must struggle to grow and help others within the community. For example, when I overcame the struggle of finding a balance in college I was able to help other athletes around me going through the same issues in which I was their hope and motivation to keep persevering through the struggle. Encountering challenges and brokenness is what makes you into the person you are today. The most important thing is the community around you, so when you face a challenge you have a great support system around you ready to help. Many problems come from within a community which creates division and hatred which was stated in the text by father Jenkins. That's why it is important to unite and conquer every challenge or issue as a unified group to create connections instead of brokenness. When one encounters brokenness it’s essential to unite and conquer the challenge with your friends and family who are there to love and support you. Community is truly important here at Notre Dame. When I first arrived I instantly felt as if I was at home. Luckily I have been allowed to play lacrosse here in which I was placed in an amazing welcoming community right away. I truly did not understand the importance of culture and community until I arrived here on campus and within the first few weeks, I felt as if I gained 35 sisters who would be there for me through thick and thin. The sense of family, love, and care is what makes this university so special. In the article, Parker Palmer states “community is not a goal to be achieved but a gift to be received.” this quotation is suggesting that maybe letting people settle into a new environment instead of forcing relationships will help contribute to building a healthy relationship with those around you. The sense of community is built on the foundation of individuals. In the article, the author addresses how an individual must be open and ready to build relationships however these relationships should not be forced they should develop over time. This means that one should have the ability to resist character traits of narcissism, jealousy, competition, nationalism, or any feeling/character trait that could damage relationships. Culture can be severely damaged if one lets these traits influence and impact the relationships that are formed within a community. Therefore one needs to have the strength to develop healthy strategies that can be used to build bonds. The bonds I formed with my teammates were natural because we are all are working towards the same goal of a national championship and we all have positive attitudes to push ourselves to be the best we can be. Lastly, I personally believe that to overcome struggles one must have a strong community. I’ve learned that throughout my life I have faced various struggles whether it was academically, on the lacrosse field, or at home. As mentioned in the article community is about being there to support others when needed and my teammates have been there for me when I’ve faced challenges in school; even if they simply just text me to check in to see how my day is going it truly means the most. Therefore the sense of community is filled with relationships built on the foundations of love, care, and support which helps one overcome any obstacle with a strong sense of community. Here at Notre Dame, I believe that community is an important aspect that is required for people to grow in hope. Ever since a young age, I have never understood the concept of hope until I was the age of 16. After I tore my ACL I had no hope that I would ever return to play until I met my surgeon and he told me the reason he became a surgeon was to help all injured elite athletes return to play at full strength due to his injuries in the past. Ever since that moment, I remember reaching out to some of my younger teammates and athletes on teams I coached who tore their ACLs to give them hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I would always reassure them that the struggle would make them stronger and better on the other side. I took upon myself the role of being the hope for those that needed it during a dark time in their recovery. In the article about Father Moreau, it states “Instead he spent many years as a student and professor formulating a rich spirituality based upon imitating the person of Jesus that he ended up applying practically in the communities and ministries he established.”This quotation illustrates that Father Moreau was the hope others needed. The text states that he used his education to further develop other areas of the university and to help others which is very selfless. Father Moreau’s selflessness illustrates how he was the hope for those who needed it the most. Instead of prospering as an individual, he used his knowledge to give hope to allow his community to prosper and grow around him. Father Moreau dedicated each branch he established to a particular person whose values were rooted in education which would further develop the community around us. The feeling of hope truly comes from a sense of community. I believe that if one has a strong community around them hope is what will get one through the toughest times. In the text, it states how father Moreau was selfless and helped others grow and prosper when they were at their lowest moments. Here at Notre Dame, I believe that our education will help form and shape us into the best possible individuals we can be. We should carry what we learn here and become the hope that someone else needs somewhere else. Hope is something that is intertwined with a Notre Dame education that is not offered anywhere else. Through my past few months here at Notre dame I have laughed a lot, learned to love my new home, and even shed some tears with the ones I love and trust the most. I have encountered various situations in which I have learned new things and grown as an individual based on the experience and outcome. When I first started this course there was an emphasis on the journey we were embarking on at Notre Dame to become the best people we possibly can be. In only these thirteen weeks I have realized the importance of community and culture and how the loving friendships I share with the people around me allow me to conquer any challenge or conflict I encounter. The culture embeddedsomethingThe University of Notre Dame is something I would never trade for the world. Learning to struggle and succeed is what allows me to keep overcoming any obstacle that steps in my path to discover who I am.