Intigration 2


The Challenge
What Have I encountered, and how will I respond? When thinking about this prompt, I was
drawn to one answer that sums up my college experience thus far; challenge. Coming to
College in August, I expected a challenge like none before. Still, I never expected this to go far
beyond academics. Everything from social life to time management, study habits, and scholars
has been a challenge. But how we respond to challenges is the most crucial decision we can
make.

Coming out of a small High School in Mid-Michigan, I expected College to be this incredibly
social group of young adults. Everyone says they wish they could go back and relive the glory
days, so I had high expectations. To say that my expectations came true is a complicated
response. Yes, kids are very social, but I am not, and the first few months just felt like an
extension of High School where I had one or two friends but struggled to expand and meet new
people. It's a challenge for me to allow people into my life where I trust them enough to get to
know them. At the same time, I see others have this ability to talk and relate to others on a level
I am incapable of reaching. But how to respond? How can I or do I tear these mental walls down
so that I can meet new people? I found that being your authentic self attracts people similar to
you. If I don't try and be someone I am not, I start to attract quality friends rather than a quantity
of people. With regards to all this, I've discovered a great diversity of people on campus, not
really in race and ethnicity but in personality. Unlike, high school there aren't just two sects;
there are so many more groups that I can fit into and immerse myself with others. In week 11,
we heard a student named Nobel says, "But what's even better is… they get to create a story
that's never ever existed here on campus." ("With Voices True Snapshot Summary" by the Klue
center- Moreau FYE Week Eleven) I Want to make my story unique and perfect for me, where
I'm not enslaved to social norms like in high school but instead do what I like and meet people
who make me stronger. This will be a challenge, and I will struggle like never before, but it will
be well worth it in the end.

During my high school years, time management was always a challenge for me. I found that I
would push things off until the last day they were due, even doing homework during lunch the
day it was due. Understanding that this is one of my biggest struggles, I figured it was
something I needed to work on in College. However, this has been an immense challenge,
something I'll probably struggle with for the rest of my life; I have this terrible tendency to push
things back until they are due and lack the motivation to do anything until it's due the next day,
for example, I am currently writing this Integration Friday Morning, is that healthy? Absolutely
not. With time management being one of my biggest challenges these past few months, I've
tried to respond by setting planned periods where I study so that I don't push everything back.
Just like in ("Women Find Healing Through Kintsugi Workshop" by the Grotto network- Moreau
FYE Week Ten), I am trying to better myself by building better time management habits. Also,
like the women who put on the Kintsugi workshops, I am trying to work with other students to
better both myself and them in our laziness and bad habits by being proactive and finishing
work well before due dates.

https://voicestrue.nd.edu/
https://grottonetwork.com/make-an-impact/heal/find-healing-through-kintsugi-art/


One final challenge I have encountered in the past few months here is the rigorous academic
standards; while on my gateway tour, someone said that this was just an extension of high
school and that they had an easy time; myself, not so much. To address this challenge, I have
adopted many tactics, such as studying longer, meeting with TA's and Professors, and working
with others to better understand what is being taught. However, sometimes the rigorous courses
get to me. I feel this sense of imposter syndrome, kind of like we addressed in ("What is
imposter Syndrome" by TED- Moreau FYE Week Nine), where I don't belong because I am
struggling Academically to be here. This weighs heavily upon me as I am surrounded by many
very intelligent people. Still, I have very different learning styles than others, and I am here for a
reason. It's nothing new to know that Notre Dame is a very rigorous university. Still, sometimes I
get trapped in this idea that I am inferior to others here and compare myself because of grades
or whatever, but then I remember that there are plenty of things I am good at myself, that is
unique, I've never been the best statistically speaking but in areas such as engineering, not
math, but conceptual modeling I find my abilities.

In conclusion, I've had to face many challenges in the past few months here at College, some
incredibly difficult and some reality small; however, how we overcome these challenges is what
counts. Sometimes it's hard to feel like this is the right path and to know that yore doing alright,
but Just like Rev. James B. King says in ("Holy Cross and Christian Education" by Rev. James
B. King- Moreau FYE Week twelve) Hope is "trusting in the cross and God's promise of the
kingdom." and that God has a plan, a plan that requires us to do our part but a plan
nonetheless. God works through us by giving us obstacles and trial and tribulation. And
whenever we address a challenge head-on, we will overcome them just like in Luke 1:37, "for
with God nothing is impossible" with this in mind, no challenge is too great for the two of us; Not
even an integration paper that needs to be submitted in 8 hours.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQUxL4Jm1Lo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQUxL4Jm1Lo
https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/28124/files/192714?module_item_id=109541