Integration One Professor Hnatusko Moreau FYE 10/15/2021 Walking a New Path: My Transition to Notre Dame I believe that I am searching for fulfillment through curiosity, exploration, relationships, and creativity. When my Notre Dame experience started with the chaos of Welcome Weekend, I was unsure if I was ready for college. I was nervous to start more demanding classes, establish friendships, and find comfort away from home, and it seemed difficult to do so after those three days of fast-paced scheduling. Especially during the first week of school, I felt like I was in over my head. However, through the chaos, I found some amazing friends that helped to stabilize the spinning world. As Brene Brown advises her audience, I leaned into my nervousness and fear and let myself “be seen, deeply seen, vulnerably seen,” and through the display of my honest and authentic self, I have found so many genuinely kind individuals that have made my Notre Dame experience so uplifting so far (“The Power of Vulnerability” by Brené Brown - Moreau FYE Week One). I believe that I forge life-giving relationships by anchoring my interactions with others in honesty and love. So far, I have learned that college demands us to truly invest in our relationships. From new friendships at Notre Dame, to close friends back home and familial relationships, each individual here is the intersection of a network of connections between people that require great effort. One of the main ways I have been trying to maintain connections with my friends at home is through FaceTime and text. I love sharing my Notre Dame stories and I love to hear how they have begun the new stage of their lives. In his TED Talk, David Brooks cites theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, who claims that “Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore we must be saved by love” (“Should You Live for your Resume or Your Eulogy?” by David Brooks - Moreau FYE Week Two). This quote shares what I have learned about relationships, especially being at a new place: relationships give our work purpose because, for me, the people that I love empower me and give my actions meaning. I believe that my purpose is to create and build something that inspires and protects others. Before coming to Notre Dame, I heard that the Grotto is one of the most sacred and beautiful places on campus. After coming to campus, I have learned that there is extreme truth in this and that there is so much more to it beyond beauty. A few weeks ago, I went to the Grotto after a dorm mass, and it was one of the most refreshing experiences I have had in a while. It was a place of true quiet yet profound spirit. In his article on faith, David Fagerberg defines spirituality as a concept that “concerns the real world, and how we see it, how we do it, how we approach it” (“Faith Brings Light to a Dark World” by David Fagerberg - Moreau FYE Week Three). Beyond the Grotto, I feel that, as Fagerberg describes, spirituality extends to the atmosphere; at Notre Dame, spirituality is the basis of education, which gives my learning a foundation of meaning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Qm9cGRub0&feature=youtu.be https://www.ted.com/talks/david_brooks_should_you_live_for_your_resume_or_your_eulogy/transcript?language=en https://www.ted.com/talks/david_brooks_should_you_live_for_your_resume_or_your_eulogy/transcript?language=en https://grottonetwork.com/keep-the-faith/belief/faith-brings-light-to-dark-world/?utm_source=fall_2021&utm_medium=class&utm_id=moreau I believe that I need to take care of myself and treat myself kindly, and I should pay attention to how others treat me and how I think about myself. As I mentioned above, relationships are a substantial part of the college experience. They influence our days and can either brighten or dampen our feelings. At Notre Dame, I have tried to be more conscious about healthy and toxic relationships especially because I have met so many people and I hope to forge such life-giving relationships here that will guide me the rest of my life. I also want to practice more self-care and treat my mind and body with more attention while balancing school responsibilities. Olivia Taylor mentions the idea that healthy relationships involve “two people are mutually growing and on a path toward becoming better people” (“5 Signs You’re in a Toxic Friendship” by Olivia T. Taylor - Moreau FYE Week Four). My intention for all of my relationships in college aligns with Taylor’s comment. In helping to build up others, I am learning about myself as well. I believe that I grow by continuously challenging myself and leaning into discomfort. Recently, it seems as if there is no end to my academic work. Whenever I finish one assignment, another seems to immediately pop up. Deadlines pile up and I find myself with little time to relax. At times like this, I remind myself that, in the bigger picture, one busy week is but a small stepping stone to accomplishing my goals and giving back to those who have put me in this fortunate position. This is similar to a point that Father Sorin makes in his letter to Father Moreau after arriving at the spot that is to be Notre Dame: “Truly, it is somewhat cold here; but, though at times the blood does not circulate freely through one's members, provided the heart still beats with love for the work of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, what more is needed to make happy the Christian, the Religious?” (Fr. Sorin Letter to Bl. Basil Moreau by Fr. Sorin - Moreau FYE Week Five). Despite the long cold journey, Sorin still celebrates. This university is founded on the idea that there is joy in difficult work, and I appreciate the down-to-earth and determined attitude that many students at this school possess. I believe that I am made to honor my family and carry on their legacy and intentions towards the future. In my I Am From poem, I primarily talked about fond experiences from my childhood and home, such as Monday night dinners at my grandparents’ house with my cousins and late-night drives home from school. These little experiences remind me that through happiness and struggles, I need to enjoy every moment because, especially at Notre Dame, time flies unusually fast. I believe that my community should work to uplift each other with respect and an abundant willingness to listen, learn, and even change our opinions. As a person of Asian descent, coming from the very diverse city of Los Angeles to Notre Dame, which is a primarily white institution, was a bit of a culture shock at first. However, as I mentioned above, I have met a wide variety of individuals with different backgrounds that have welcomed me wholly. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie speaks about the danger of a single story in her TED Talk and asserts that “we regain a kind of paradise” when we reject a single-sided story (“The danger of a single story” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Moreau FYE Week Seven). At first, I was scared that I would become a single story due to my appearance, but fortunately, I have found that https://grottonetwork.com/navigate-life/relationships/signs-of-toxic-friendships/ https://grottonetwork.com/navigate-life/relationships/signs-of-toxic-friendships/ https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o56woQDq3QrRkziT8eYrvYly5CQaP2Vb/view https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story/transcript https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story/transcript people here really want to understand each other, and I am grateful for the friendly atmosphere I have encountered in my dorm, in classes, and in every interaction I have faced.