Moreau Capstone Inegration 4/20/22 Capstone Integration Keys to a Good Life My time at Notre Dame has been extremely busy as I try to balance academics, clubs, sleep, and a social life. My first-year engineering class offered extra credit for doing a relaxing activity, such as walking or meditating, and this allowed me to slow down my life a little bit. “Researchers in the new field of interruption science have found that it takes an average of twenty-five minutes to recover from a phone call,” and I find myself always on my phone or working on something, so that class activity helped me take a step back and address how I am living my life (“Why we need to slow down our lives” by Pico Lyer - Moreau FYE Week One). I plan to incorporate more designated time to reflect on my life and take a step back from the busy schedule I usually find myself in. I also found myself stressed about choosing a major, but taking time to calm myself definitely helps. “Putting aside the thought that you are deciding your career path when picking your major” helped me choose a major, since not everyone does exactly what their degree is after graduation ( "Navigating Your Career Journey” by Meruelo Family Center for Career Development - Moreau FYE Week Four). I plan to make progress towards living a life of balance that involves both work and rest through designating time for rest. At the first rocketry team meeting I attended, I was expecting the majority of the leaders to be men, but as a pleasant surprise, the leaders were actually an equal representation of men and women. This made me feel more comfortable pursuing a degree in engineering, and I am thankful that “Notre Dame went co-educational” while Father Hesburgh was president because women have the opportunity to pursue a Notre Dame education (“Hesburgh” produced by Jerry Barca and Christine O’Malley - Moreau Week Two). Getting to know the seniors and meeting some alumni in my major was very interesting and helped me decide on aerospace engineering. My uncertainty about my major lessened “by identifying people who majored in the subjects you https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/41039/modules/items/149863 https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/ https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/41039/modules/items/149873 are considering and are now using those majors in diverse ways” (Irish Compass Activity by Moreau Instructors - Moreau FYE Week Five). I plan to be a leader on an engineering team so that I can continue the tradition of women becoming learning, educating, and leading. I feel joy in the friendships I have made at Notre Dame, and this is different from happiness because my friends and I help each other grow to live a good life together. I can be happy one moment and sad in the next, but I value the joy of growing strong relationships with others over temporary happiness. “Happiness changes from moment to moment, day to day. Joy, on the other hand, is much deeper and much more central, it comes from within, and it’s a genuine rightness of how one lives one’s life,” and I think that focusing on joy rather than temporary happiness will lead me closer to living a good life ("Three Key Questions" by Fr. Michael Himes - Moreau Week Three). Through recognizing this value of mine, I have become more self-aware of the actions that I am taking to make my life well-lived. “If we’re not self-aware, it’s almost impossible to master the skills that make us stronger team players, superior leaders and better relationship builders, either at work or in the rest of our lives,” so that is why I think I should aim to be somewhat self-aware of my actions, so that my relationships can thrive (“The Right Way to be Introspective (Yes, There’s a Wrong Way)” by Tasha Eurich - Moreau FYE Week Six). I plan to reflect on my actions each night so that I can do my best to treat others in a positive way. There were some days this school year where I would just focus on getting to the end of the day because of all the tests, labs, and homework that I had to do that day. Looking back, I wish I had been more aware about the benefits of the experiences I was getting. Maybe I forgot whatever I learned, but I did not forget some of the people I met. “Life is not time merely passing by, life is about interactions,” and I think it is important to recall this so that we can be aware of https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Z1bZTNU9tpjCnuC9iDFLjslYaX0v4XpBwClh_GynKfo/edit https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/41039/files/476425?module_item_id=149885 https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/41039/modules/items/149919 the small interactions we get with people everyday (“Why the only future worth building includes everyone” by Pope Francis - Moreau Week Seven). This relates to the question: “When the last chapter of my life is written, how do I want to be remembered?” because I want to be remembered for being a loving person and be known for appreciating others (“Integration Three Assignment” by Moreau Instructors - Moreau FYE Week Eight). I plan to be mindful of the interactions I have with others everyday and value the time I spend with others. Simple things that my dorm community helps me with has made my experience here great, such as someone letting me use their laundry detergent and a friend helping me study math. These acts of kindness are a key part in my vision of a good life. To “look beyond your immediate concerns; show compassion and accompany one another” creates a meaningful and life-giving community ( “Teaching Accompaniment: A Learning Journey Together” by Professor Steve Reifenberg- Moreau FYE Week Nine). This kindness also spreads to the inclusion that seniors in my dorm have shown me. “The University of Notre Dame strives for a spirit of inclusion among the members of this community for distinct reasons articulated in our Christian tradition,” and I hope to contribute to that spirit of inclusion through helping and loving others (“The Spirit of Inclusion at Notre Dame” by Notre Dame authors - Moreau Week Ten). I plan to perform acts of kindness to help build a loving community at Notre Dame and wherever else I may be living. I have been impressed by the connection Notre Dame students have with each other regardless of their political views. Growing up in Southern California, it was often impossible to ignore the political tensions constantly weighing on people’s minds. “We treat politics like entertainment, following the latest updates like we follow our favorite sports teams,” and I think we should aim to see the value in the person before engaging in discussion about politics https://www.ted.com/talks/his_holiness_pope_francis_why_the_only_future_worth_building_includes_everyone/transcript https://www.ted.com/talks/his_holiness_pope_francis_why_the_only_future_worth_building_includes_everyone/transcript https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SkhkzZIMH2UwJauu5J_yq76rGV0GcG_lVd8KPBLTFF0/edit https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SkhkzZIMH2UwJauu5J_yq76rGV0GcG_lVd8KPBLTFF0/edit https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/41039/modules/items/149950 https://dulac.nd.edu/university-mission-and-vision/spirit-of-inclusion/ (“Passion Isn’t Enough” by Hidden Brain Media - Moreau Week Eleven). Through recalling that we are all equally human, I can live a good life by seeing the good in others. “Our mutual respect and shared undertaking should be a hopeful sign of the kingdom, and they are when others can behold how we love one another,” and through this, the entire world can become better (“Constitutions of the Congregation of Holy Cross” by Holy Cross authors - Moreau Week Twelve). I plan to treat others with respect so that myself and the people around me can have the best circumstances to live a good life. My experience at Notre Dame has been challenging, but I was especially challenged (and continue to be) by my linear algebra class. At one professor’s office hours, there is a strong sense of solidarity and togetherness that helps me push through the harder topics. A“ sense of human solidarity and concern for the common good” helped me through my tough class, and without this community and professor to help me, my experience would have been very different (“Notre Dame Mission Statement” by Notre Dame authors - Moreau Week Thirteen). Standing in solidarity with others has been important throughout my life, and I want to continue to form community with others so that we can all move towards our goals. The Moreau FYE class has helped me reflect on the type of life I want to have, and the type of experience I want to have at Notre Dame. I think that helping and respecting others plays an important role in the way I want to spend my life. This class has provided me with many meaningful experiences and friends, and I am glad to share in the same goals of helping others and building community as this class. https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/passion-isnt-enough/ https://holycrosscongregation.org/holy-cross-resources/constitutions/2-mission/ https://www.nd.edu/about/mission/ https://www.nd.edu/about/mission/