Integration Two




Integration Two

A Reflection on One Semester at Notre Dame: Encountering Opportunities for Balance,
Kindness, and Hope

A person’s first semester of college is a time of uncertainty, transition, and discovery.  As
this first semester starts to wind down, it presents the perfect time for reflection and to not only
look back on what’s already happened, but also look ahead to what’s to come.  As I contemplate
the past several weeks, I can take note of the many things that I’ve experienced and the ways
that I can move forward.  My reflection can be summarized into three main encounters and how
I can respond: (1) I’ve been presented with a significant amount of schoolwork but also a
multitude of opportunities outside of class, so I need to work on striking a balance between
academics and other activities; (2) I’ve found that I’m often in a position where I can help others,
so I need to make more of an effort to be a good person; and (3) I’ve noticed that my own
mindset can sometimes be discouraging and counterproductive, so I need to consciously be
more positive with myself.

One of the most important questions that I’ve asked myself numerous times throughout
the semester has been, how can I balance my schoolwork with all the things I want to spend
time on outside of class?  I’ve encountered a significant workload from all my classes, but also
unlimited opportunities to get involved outside of class, so the challenge for me has been finding
a way to manage both.  I think that one of the reasons it’s so difficult for me to sometimes shift
my focus away from academics is because of the expectations I set for myself.  Julia Hogan
echoes this in her article when she writes, “Those expectations are the bars we set for
ourselves. When we meet (or surpass) them, we feel like we are worthy. If we don’t meet those
expectations, we feel like the exact opposite — that we aren’t good enough,”  (“Why Letting Go
of Expectations is a Freeing Habit” by Julia Hogan - Moreau FYE Week Nine).  Because of the
expectations I have for myself, I devote a large portion of my time to academics so that I can
live up to them.  One of the things that I’ve done to effectively manage my time is planning
ahead.  I’ve created a list of all my assignments, and I also put the other events that I intend to
go to on my calendar so I can see it all mapped out.  In class we talked a lot about how
assignments often come in cycles of weeks with very little to do and weeks with a lot to get
done.  We called these busy weeks “title waves”, but by planning ahead, we can recognize
those title waves in advance and prepare for them.  I also make an effort to participate in other
events.  For example, on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, I often go to Quiz Bowl meetings, but
some weeks, I work on homework instead because it's a higher priority for me.  Later in the
article referenced earlier, the author mentions how we should let go of expectations and instead
just try to do our best.  This is advice that I should definitely consider.  If I didn’t have such high
expectations for myself, I wouldn’t feel the need to spend so much time on schoolwork.  Even
though being successful academically is important, it is also vital to have a well-rounded college
experience.  To respond to this, I plan on giving myself more time to do things unrelated to my
classes.  In the future, I’d like to be content with just doing my best and allow myself to take

https://grottonetwork.com/navigate-life/health-and-wellness/letting-go-of-expectations/?utm_source=fall_2021&utm_medium=class&utm_id=moreau
https://grottonetwork.com/navigate-life/health-and-wellness/letting-go-of-expectations/?utm_source=fall_2021&utm_medium=class&utm_id=moreau


advantage of all the opportunities I’m interested in.  Overall, something that I’ve encountered is
the task of managing academics along with other activities, and I plan to respond to this by
using my time efficiently, doing my best, and seeking a balanced college experience.

Throughout my time here, something that has increased in importance for me is being
kind and accepting towards others.  During these past few months, I’ve encountered countless
opportunities to be a better person, whether it’s through taking the time to help someone or
broadening my horizons to interact with those who are different from me.  Father Jenkins
described the need to make the most of these opportunities when he spoke about “the
responsibility, and the training, and the commitment to address the most urgent, most strategic
challenge in the country today — the challenge of reducing hatred and promoting love” (“Wesley
Theological Seminary 2012 Commencement Address” by Fr. John Jenkins - Moreau FYE Week
Ten).  As this excerpt implies, the problem of hate is one that is widespread, but as individuals
we can do our part by fostering the acceptance of those around us.  One of the things that we
discussed in class was how important it is to expose yourself to a variety of perspectives and to
learn about others’ experiences.  To do this requires going outside of your comfort zone and
taking the time to really get to know someone with a completely different background than you.
As I meet people here from all over the country and across the world, I have the responsibility to
be welcoming and willing to learn.  Through the end of this school year and into the future, I’d
like to make connections with those who are different from me, whether it be in terms of
academic interests, nationality, religion, or any other aspect of identity.  In addition to being
accepting, part of being a good person is helping others.  Parker J. Palmer states that,
“Community is a gift” (“Thirteen Ways of Looking at Community” by Parker J. Palmer - Moreau
FYE Week Eleven).  Being a member of the Notre Dame community is something that I’m
grateful for, and part of being a member of that community is doing what I can to give back.
Something that I’ve experienced is that people often send messages in our hall group chat
asking if someone has an item they need to borrow, and even if I have the item, I take the
attitude “someone else can help”.  However, I’ve realized that this is not the right approach;
receiving the gift of community also means being willing to give, so next time I’ll be sure to offer
what I can.  Something that I have done to help my community is volunteer as a lector at my
dorm masses.  Though this is a small act, it does play a role in helping our community function.
In the future I would like to do more to help my community, perhaps by getting involved in
volunteerism and service projects.  I’ve quickly realized that being at Notre Dame means there
are limitless opportunities to become a better person, and in order to continue to grow and
develop, I plan to respond to these opportunities by learning about and accepting those who are
different from me, and by actively seeking ways to help others and give back to my community.

Over the course of the semester, one of the things that has become more complicated
for me has been my own mindset.  During the first few weeks, my outlook was sort of
one-dimensional; I simply sought to get as much work done as possible on a weekly basis.
More recently, this has grown more complex as I find myself still aiming to be productive, but
also feeling anxious and even pessimistic about the week ahead.  In class, one of the concepts
we discussed was imposter syndrome, which occurs when your own self-doubt makes you feel
inadequate and causes you to act with less ambition because you “aren’t good enough”.

https://president.nd.edu/homilies-writings-addresses/wesley-theological-seminary-commencement/
https://president.nd.edu/homilies-writings-addresses/wesley-theological-seminary-commencement/
http://couragerenewal.org/parker/writings/13-ways-of-looking-at-community/


Although these aren’t really the types of feelings I’m having, the concept is similar because my
negative thoughts can go on to affect my actions and mood.  However, I recognize that the
solution to my problem is to have hope and remember that everything is going to work out.  In
the Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis writes, “Our cause is never more in danger than when a
human being, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy’s will, looks round upon a
universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been
forsaken, and still obeys” (“The Screwtape Letters” by C. S. Lewis - Moreau FYE Week Twelve).
Using the context of the letters, the conclusion that can be drawn from this quote is that there is
nothing more powerful than remaining hopeful even when there is no sign of hope to be found.
In recent weeks, what I’ve been encountering is sort of this weekly cycle of dreading the week
ahead to feeling positive by the end of the week, but then having those negative feelings again
by Sunday.  Some of the things I’ve done to mitigate this have been planning out everything that
I need to accomplish in a given week and also following the routine that I’ve developed in terms
of attending mass, eating meals, and going to clubs and other meetings.  I can grow by
maintaining a positive mindset and reminding myself to take things one day at a time.  In
summary, something that I’ve encountered here has been a negative outlook and mindset, but I
can respond to that by maintaining hope, which shines even in the darkest of times.

In conclusion, I can identify three main encounters I’ve had throughout the first semester,
guided by my experiences and the Moreau course content: (1) the need to balance academics
with other activities; (2) the opportunity to be a better person; and (3) a sometimes negative and
pessimistic mindset.  Each of these encounters requires a different response.  To respond to the
first one, I intend to manage my time effectively, be content with always doing my best, and seek
a well-rounded college experience.  To respond to the second one, I plan on making an effort to
be accepting to those who are different from me and actively looking for chances to give back to
my community.  Finally, to respond to the third one, I’d like to alter my outlook to be more
positive by taking things day by day and remembering to never give up hope.  This first
semester has shown me that there will always be opportunities for growth and that I can identify
those just by reflecting on my experiences.  Throughout the second semester and beyond, I
plan to continue to grow and develop in an academic and social sense, as a member of the
Notre Dame community, and within my own mind.

https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/28222/files/189463?module_item_id=106234