Making it to the Other End of the Sea I still felt somewhat uneasy about leaving my country and flying across the vast Atlantic Ocean to study at Notre Dame after I confirmed my admission offer. In June, as I randomly browsed the webpage of first year advising FAQs, one answer about concerns of academic rigor suddenly caught my attention: it said that it is not unusual to feel worried, but I have already proved with my admission to Notre Dame that I belong here. This relieved my anxiety to some extent, as it made much sense, but still, I was not 100% confident that I’m good enough to succeed at this prestigious institution. From the energetic welcome event planned by senior students at my residence hall to welcome speeches by international student admission officers to the speech by Fr. Jenkins at the official welcome to Moreau discussions and tours, I was deeply inspired and my anxiety of crossing half of the globe to study at an unfamiliar place gradually reduced as I learned more about the university in which I was then immersed in. The warm and welcoming peers and faculty (and squirrels and chipmucks maybe) at Notre Dame assured me more and more deeply that it is not simply a place to complete my undergraduate studies, but a place I can call home, and the place I belong. “The people who have a strong sense of love and belonging believe they are worthy of love and belonging.” (“The Power of Vulnerability” by Brené Brown - Moreau FYE Week One)1 I realized that my uneasiness was because I was afraid that I might not be good enough to succeed among so many well-accomplished peers, but I now possess the sense of 1 youtube.com/watch?v=X4Qm9cGRub0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Qm9cGRub0&feature=youtu.be love and belonging, and believe that I am worthy of love and belonging at my new home Notre Dame. For example, when I face academic challenges, I do not doubt my ability or whether I actually belong here, but I actively seek resources like professors’ office hours, academic advisors, peer tutoring, etc. to overcome the challenges. As Carla Harris said in her speech, “Fear is just false evidence of things appearing real.” (“2021 Laetare Medalist Address” by Carla Harris - Moreau FYE Week Five)2 I no longer doubt myself because of fear but am well assured of my belonging here. I know I will definitely face challenges at this new place and new chapter of my life, but I am not afraid to tackle them because I know the process of overcoming challenges will equip me with more experience and skills, which will then help me make more accomplishments in the path forward. My second root belief is that I believe my authenticity is valuable and I need not be pressured to fake another persona; I want to stay genuine to myself. My personality is not quite that of a social butterfly, but I have my strengths such as humor and sincerity which earned me good friends and a close community in which I enjoy through fun and healthy interactions. Healthy relationships are identified by comfort, respect, humor, honesty, safety, etc. (“Healthy Vs. Unhealthy Relationships” by The Red Flag Campaign - Moreau FYE Week Four)3 Faking a very social persona probably will give me more exposure in interpersonal relationships but at the mean time makes me have 2 youtube.com/watch?v=UjSwjn-SyB4&t=390s 3 static1.squarespace.com/static/54da632be4b0c3a7f3a8a90d/t/55689339e4b0d6fc6b6e2f28/1432916793921/ Healthy+vs+Unhealthy.pdf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Qm9cGRub0&feature=youtu.be less comfort and mentally exhausted, but I am happy with who I am and what I am achieving and accomplishing under the real me. “Eulogy virtues are deeper; who are you, in your depth; what is the nature of your relationships, are you bold, loving, dependable, consistent?” (“Should You Live for Your Resume or Your Eulogy?” by David Brooks - Moreau FYE Week Two)4 Some virtues are considered advantageous for a high status in society, for example, with resume virtues, my chances of succeeding in the job market will increase and I can make a decent living on my own; nevertheless, I will never neglect my mental well-being and always keep my eulogy virtues, so that I will feel comfortable and contented with a rewarding and fulfilling life. However, it does not mean that I always want to stay in my comfort zone, which leads to my third root belief about my faith: I believe that it is important for me to grow by staying curious and always learning. “Physical lighting can serve as a metaphor for spiritual lighting. When the lighting changes, what I can see changes.” (“Faith Brings Light to a Dark World” by David Fagerberg - Moreau FYE Week Three)5 Everyone needs their particular lighting as the north star in their life, and the lighting in my life is learning from different people and new experiences. I tried many new things at Notre Dame: I applied to clubs in areas in which I’ve never been, such as business; I initiated conversations with people I don’t know; I opened a bank account on my own; I overcame the nerve to go to professors’ office hours to discuss my papers which did not 4 youtube.com/watch?v=MlLWTeApqIM 5 grottonetwork.com/keep-the-faith/belief/faith-brings-light-to-dark- world/?utm_source=fall_2021&utm_medium=class&utm_id=moreau https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Qm9cGRub0&feature=youtu.be receive a quite good-looking grade; I tried Mexican, Indian, and Brazilian new food, etc. These experiences all helped me construct a set of varied and diverse values and an evolving understanding of the world through different stories, challenge preconceptions I may have. As Chimamanda Adichie said, “when we realize that there is never a single story about any place, we regain a kind of paradise.” (“Danger of a Single Story” by Chimamanda Adichie - Moreau FYE Week Seven)6 The past two months at Notre Dame have brought me numerous new experiences, and I want to experience many more new things in the future so that I can reach beyond what I am already familiar with, through which I will shape and reshape a more sophisticated understanding of the world. So, I’ve made it to here, to the other end of the Atlantic Ocean. I will always remember where I’m from: I’m from the night breeze along the Huangpu River, from sweet and sour ribs my grandmother made, from the array of potted plants at my family’s balcony. (“Where I’m From” - Moreau FYE Week Six)7 I carry on these memories and heritage with me, embarking on and embracing the many exciting and unpredictable journeys at the other end of the sea. 6 ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story 7 georgeellalyon.com/where.html