Moreau Integration 2 Responding to Difficulties The material covered throughout the past few weeks of Moreau First Year Experience have helped me understand everyday problems that are experienced by people, and ways in which they can be fixed. I am able to relate these ideas to things that I have personally experienced, and now have a better understanding of how to respond to these situations. During week 9, we discussed the importance of following one’s own passions rather than conforming to the expectations of others. The articles that we read that week explain how external pressure from family and friends can cause people to do things that they don’t want internally. Specifically, the articles talk about college students, and the way in which they may pick their major and career paths based on the expectations of their parents. Personally, I am not pressured by my family to pick a specific major. If I was, these articles would give me a greater understanding of the importance of letting go of these expectations. “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). Other topics were discussed in Week 9, such as imposter syndrome and the struggles of adapting to college life. The TED-Ed video by Elizabeth Cox explains that imposter syndrome is a common phenomenon where people believe that they haven’t earned their accomplishments. I could relate to this video because I have had these feelings before. When applying to colleges, I was hesitant to put a lot of my accomplishments on my application, because I thought that they weren’t important, or because I believed that I didn’t earn them. Another video that I could relate to was “My College Transition” by Emery Bergmann. In this video, Emery explains how it is common for freshmen in college to feel disconnected and struggle to find a strong friend group. I have definitely had experiences that are similar to Emery’s, and the video helped me understand that these feelings are normal. During week 10, we discussed societal conflicts, and ways in which they can be resolved. The materials from this week address specific issues that are prevalent in today’s society, and reveal how they can be handled. In his Commencement Address, Fr. John Jenkins, C.S.C., describes how hatred is the root cause of modern societal problems. He states, “We in this country are in the midst of a social crisis, a harsh and deepening split between groups that are all too ready to see evil in each other” (Wesley Theological Seminary 2012 Commencement Address by Fr. John Jenkins - Moreau FYE Week 10). Fr. Jenkins believes that people often do not realize their own hatred, since it can be disguised as virtue and conviction. In order to prevent this from continuing, we all must take a step back and reflect on any hatred within ourselves, and eliminate it. Another article that we read that week was “Should Catholic Schools https://grottonetwork.com/navigate-life/health-and-wellness/letting-go-of-expectations/?utm_source=fall_2021&utm_medium=class&utm_id=moreau https://president.nd.edu/homilies-writings-addresses/wesley-theological-seminary-commencement/ https://president.nd.edu/homilies-writings-addresses/wesley-theological-seminary-commencement/ Teach Critical Race Theory?” by Christopher Devron. In this article, Devron suggests that Catholic Social Teaching should be used to teach students the systemic racism that exists in American society. With this method, students will be able to use their knowledge of Catholic values to combat modern injustice. The final video from week 10 showed how Kirsten Helgeson’s kintsugi pottery class provides emotional healing for the women who participated in it. According to Helgeson, the way in which broken pottery is repaired with gold represents the philosophy that all the experiences of a person, both good and bad, contribute to who they are. During week 11, we talked about how communities of diverse individuals form and flourish. We learned that conflicts and dissimilarities between people of different backgrounds and cultures can hinder the formation of a sense of community. However, communities are essential for human prosperity, and they are created by overcoming our challenges and conflicts. “We were created in and for a complex ecology of relatedness, and without it we wither and die. This simple fact has critical implications: community is not a goal to be achieved but a gift to be received.” (“Thirteen Ways of Looking at Community” by Parker J. Palmer - Moreau FYE Week 11). This article describes how communities naturally form through embracing all its members and overcoming difficult experiences. The other two resources for this week explain how cultural insensitivity and racial misconceptions and stereotypes are barriers to a strong, diverse community. In his TED Talk, Agustin Fuentes described common biases that people unconsciously hold against other races. These biases can be overcome by understanding different viewpoints and hearing the voices of minority groups. Diversity is an extremely important aspect to have in a community, but this can be accomplished more easily if a society makes a conscious effort to change. Additionally, The Klau Center’s “With Voices True” provides insight into the lives of several people who have experienced discrimination. By listening to these stories, people are able to understand the perspectives of others and work to create a community where this kind of insensitivity is not a problem. During week 12, we discussed the ways in which hope can help us overcome difficult situations. The supplemental readings reveal how hope can provide spiritual strength to those facing challenges. “The contemplation of new ideas and needs beyond our comfort zones requires a sacrificial willingness to put at risk everything that we think we already know. We need to have hope in that process to stick with it…” (Holy Cross and Christian Education by Fr. James B. King, C.S.C. - Moreau FYE Week 12). Having hope is vital while trying something new or taking a big risk. In this piece, King also describes how Moreau hoped for the success of the newly founded University of Notre Dame and its students. The other piece of reading was an excerpt from The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. In this piece, the concept of having faith and hope for God is discussed from the perspective of a demon. He explains how people become closer to God when they maintain faith in Him, even in the toughest of times. Even when it seems like God has abandoned us, it is important to have hope, since it is what will ultimately draw us closer to Him. http://couragerenewal.org/parker/writings/13-ways-of-looking-at-community/ https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/28177/files/188503?module_item_id=105314 Overall, these lessons have helped me understand how I can work towards creating a better college experience for myself and my fellow students. It is natural for difficult challenges to occur, and it is important to know how to react in order to make the situation better.