Our Experiences Bring Us Together Beginning our time in college with Brene Brown’s TedTalk was an excellent, immersive introduction into the ideals of Notre Dame and the goals of the Moreau class. Listening to Brown’s experiences, I realized I connected to some of her statements, and they made me realize what I find important. Her discussion of self-love especially spoke to me. The people “who have a strong sense of love and belonging… [b]elieve they’re worthy”; the ones who provide their own validation are the ones who receive the most authenticity from others (“The Power of Vulnerability” by Brene Brown- Moreau FYE Week One). I strongly believe in the power that our thoughts have over our feelings, emotions, and moods. Both in my own personal life and in the lives of my friends, I have seen the power that our minds and our thoughts have. Mental health, especially within elite education is such an important topic because it is such a prevalent issue. Throughout my time here, both in classes and out of classes, I have seen both the effects of mental health as well the amazing amount of support and concern that people have for each other. Even when first getting to know people in my dorm and in my classes, everyone was always so friendly and genuinely cared about how others were doing. The type of people who come to Notre Dame, when they arrive, do not lose their sense of concern or care for others. It would be very easy for a school like Notre Dame to become ultra-competitive between students. However, it is not; people here genuinely care about each other. Even while working hard to build their resume, people still put all of their effort into also living out their eulogy qualities. Despite the high-pressure environment, Notre Dame students care for their Adam II. Neglecting the Adam II “turns you into a shrewd animal who treats life as a game, and you become a cold, calculating creature who slips into a sort of mediocrity,” but Notre Dame https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Qm9cGRub0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Qm9cGRub0 students nurture their relationships and their Adam II (“Should you live for your resume… or your eulogy?” by David Brooks- Moreau FYE Week Two). I fully believe that as humans, we need to nurture our Adam II. I have learned ever since I was little that caring for each other is the best impact that we can leave on this world. Not only do Notre Dame students have to balance their social and educational lives, but they also have to balance their religious lives. I have learned that adding this third aspect into the balance of life makes you adjust all of your previous time management. I believe that some sort of faith is an important aspect of everybody’s lives no matter what religious tradition. It brings people hope and gives people something to turn to in dark times. I also believe that it can be very difficult for everyone to remember to turn back to their faiths all the time. We have a tendency to focus on the “cockeyed lighting that makes us the center of the universe” (“Faith Brings Light to a Dark World” by Professor David Fagerberg- Moreau FYE Week Three). It can be easy for us to focus on ourselves, but everywhere on campus and in class, there are reminders to the students to remember their faiths and that they always have a place to turn to. Notre Dame promotes these resources for any situation a student might find themselves in. The discussion of healthy friendships and relationships is extremely important as students enter the entirely new environment of college. Everyone is looking to meet people, and while the majority of Notre Dame students are genuine people, there are times when people do not work well in a relationship. I believe that it takes time to find people who we genuinely connect with and who will become lifelong friends. In my experience, true friendships take time to find and build. It is easy when people receive attention to believe they have found a good friend, and this is because “‘[a]ttention is one of the rarest forms of love’” (5 Signs You’re in a Toxic Friendship” by Olivia T. Taylor -Moreau FYE Week Four). However, that attention does not https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlLWTeApqIM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlLWTeApqIM https://grottonetwork.com/keep-the-faith/belief/faith-brings-light-to-dark-world/?utm_source=fall_2021&utm_medium=class&utm_id=moreau https://grottonetwork.com/navigate-life/relationships/signs-of-toxic-friendships/ https://grottonetwork.com/navigate-life/relationships/signs-of-toxic-friendships/ always last. Although we believe we will be friends with the first people we meet, I believe that it might take time for people to find their groups. I also believe that everyone will find close friendships. Even if our first friendships, or even other things fail on the first try, there will always be more chances. The discussion of failure is a topic that many people, especially people at Notre Dame, avoid. Although failure is inevitable, and everyone knows that failure is inevitable, we still prefer to believe that we are capable of avoiding it in life. I believe that failures can help us if we allow them to, but we can also let them drown us if we are not careful. I have struggled with seeing my failures as bringing me “a gift… called experience” (“2021 Laetare Medalist Address” by Carla Harris- Moreau FYE Week Five). During my time in Notre Dame, I am working towards viewing, even small inconveniences, as opportunities for growth rather than problems in my life. I get the opportunity to learn from my past rather than be upset by it. Working on the poem and reflecting on my past was a very different experience. Reflecting on the fact the “[n]o one else sees the world as you do; no one else has your material to draw on” (“Where I’m From” by George Ella Lyon- Moreau FYE Week Six), I realized I wanted to think carefully about what I wrote in my poem. I believe that through sharing our past with others, not only can we learn about ourselves, we can also teach others. It also allows us to form a deeper connection with others. I want to work on learning more from others’ pasts. My past is generally very different from those I have been around, and I believe there is a lot I can learn from those differences. Learning from others’ pasts and experiences also helps us to learn to be more accepting and inclusive. The inclusive ideals on the Notre Dame campus are heavily and openly promoted. Everyone on campus wants to ensure that all people feel welcome. Throughout campus, classes, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjSwjn-SyB4 http://www.georgeellalyon.com/where.html and clubs, me and other students feel welcome and accepted. However, that does not mean that everyone’s brains are not “noticing patterns and making generalizations” (“How To Think About ‘Implicit Bias’” by Keith Payne, Laura Niemi, John M. Doris- Moreau FYE Week Seven). That does not mean people are bad people though. We all need to work to continue to educate ourselves throughout our lives to work to eliminate our inherent implicit biases. Education is the best way to eliminate implicit biases in all people and continue the work towards equality and inclusivity. Moreau has really helped me to study the beliefs I hold and why I hold them. It has allowed me to explore how my beliefs shape my opinions and my life. It has also allowed me to hear and explore different beliefs. I have gotten the opportunity to learn about and from other people’s experiences. Exploring my own beliefs and exploring others’ beliefs have helped me to develop my own root beliefs. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-think-about-implicit-bias/ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-think-about-implicit-bias/