Notre Dame: How I have Responded to my Unique Experience My transition to college was filled with stress during the first week as I was forced to adapt to a new environment, but having an open-minded mindset eventually facilitated a sense of belonging at Notre Dame. In “Advice From a Formerly Lonely College Student”, Emery Bergmann discusses the loneliness she faced while adjusted to Cornell University as a freshman. In response to her perceived isolation, Bergmann created a viral video that highlights the difficulty that most freshman college students face in their transition to a social life and emphasizes that social media creates unrealistic pressure and expectations. Bergmann says, “Open your mind and take experiences as they come. You’re going to find your people” (“Advice From a Formerly Lonely College Student” by Emery Bergmann - Moreau FYE Week Nine). Bergmann argues that although the initial transition into college is very difficult, it is much easier if one is open to new experiences and creates a diverse group of friends. By being more open-minded to new experiences, it is easier to facilitate social interaction and close relationships, which ultimately leads to a positive college experience. Bergman’s experience at Cornell particularly resonated with my experience at Notre Dame, as I found it very difficult to transition to such a new and foreign environment during my first week at Notre Dame. However, I was able to respond through the stress and anxiety by remaining open-mined. By having an open mindset and learning to accept alternate perspectives, I was able to find that Notre Dame was a very supportive community and could easily to find a diverse group of friends that care about me. Ultimately, having an open-minded mindset allowed me to persevere through the difficult transition, and eventually made me feel like I belong at Notre Dame. I have experienced political polarization throughout my life but have tried to be more understanding of other perspectives in order to work together with other people and have a diverse mindset. In a speech by Fr. John Jenkins, Jenkins argues that the United States should express diverse moral perspectives more respectively. Wilson says, “A country whose citizens treat one another with scorn does not have a bright future” (“Wesley Theological Seminary 2012 Commencement Address” by Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. - Moreau FYE Week Ten). This means that it is bad for society to be close-minded and only accept one perspective. Wilson argues that although the United States is very diverse with differing opinions, we should remain civil and listen to people instead of rejecting them for their perspectives. As I have personally grown up, I have experienced the negative effects of having an increasingly politically polarized climate in the United States. Because of this, I determined that at Notre Dame one of my main goals was to be more respective of everyone’s opinions. Being more open-minded to different perspectives has greatly increased my social interaction with others and has created a more civil and constructive environment. By considering opinions that differ from my personal beliefs, I have been able to gain a more diverse and holistic mindset. And although it is impossible to completely avoid political polarization, I have been able to have more meaningful and powerful conversations by critically thinking and discussing important issues with others rather than impulsively clinging on to a particular belief. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/09/well/family/advice-from-a-formerly-lonely-college-student.html https://president.nd.edu/homilies-writings-addresses/wesley-theological-seminary-commencement/ https://president.nd.edu/homilies-writings-addresses/wesley-theological-seminary-commencement/ After recognizing the implicit biases that have occurred throughout my life, I have been more deliberate in being aware of other perspectives and cultures by talking with others. In the “Diversity Matters” video, Professor Agustin Fuentes argues, “People don't even consciously realize how racialized and racist our society is, but change is more possible when we hear different voices” (“Diversity Matters!” by Prof. Augustin Fuentes - Moreau FYE Week Eleven). Fuentes believes that implicit biases are prevalent in society, and frequently lead to racism and the marginalization of certain groups. However, he argues that by forming more diverse groups, people can become more aware of different perspectives and cultures. Overall, humankind can become more socially unified by being open-minded of other identities and cultures. In my personal life, this idea has resonated strongly with me and has challenged me to be more aware of similar implicit biases that occur every day. By taking Moreau, I have become more cognitively aware of aware of many biases I may have and attempt to eliminate them by embracing diversity in my daily life. Although it is very difficult to completely remove implicit biases from everyday life, I have tried to embrace people with unique cultures and beliefs in order to have a deeper understanding and be more expecting of others. All in all, the Moreau class has challenged me to become more aware of implicit biases that I have in my personal life by talking with a more diverse group of people. Through adversity and difficult circumstances, I have relied on God in order to accept what has happened and move forwards. In “Holy Cross and Christian Education”, Father James B. King argues, “adversity does, or at least can, make people stronger and prepare them for harder challenges in the future” (“Hope – Holy Cross and Christian Education” by Fr. James B. King, C.S.C. - Moreau FYE Week Twelve). This means that when people are at their lowest points in life, they become the most vulnerable and experience a large degree of character change. Because people who face adversity are desperate for the adversity to end, they times of struggle become a place where people can explore themselves and their identity. Through adversity, it is easy gain a explore their faith and develop a deeper faith in God. This is because many people at their lowest feel their only hope of prosperity and the end of their suffering is through God. I have found that through adversity and hard times, relying on God has been very helpful. When my grandpa passed away this October, I found that I was under a lot of stress and felt like I was on a low point in my life. However, through prayer with God, I found that I was able to come to terms with my grandpa’s death and move on with my life. Although it remains tragic that my grandpa passed away, having faith in God has allowed me to better accept what happened. https://notredame.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=d14a0472-9c0e-44ea-bd39-53c67ee1d436 Holy%20Cross%20and%20Christian%20Education.pdf