Integration Two Kevin McKenna Mr. Whittington Moreau First Year November 28, 2021 Integration Two: Growing Under the Dome Prompt: What have I encountered and how will I respond? It is safe to say that my first three months at Notre Dame have been some of the best of my life. From the Siegfried initiation weekend to the final home football game and everything in between, I can safely say that I am happy I chose Notre Dame. However, as much as I love everyday here, there are constant challenges that allow me to grow as both a student and a person. Coming into Notre Dame, my mindset was that if I enjoy everyday and put in maximum effort, things will work out. I did not really have expectations when it came to grades or friendships. My reasoning for coming into college with an open mindset was because of how hard I work to get accepted into my dream school. My entire life I had imposed high expectations on myself to achieve my goal of getting into Notre Dame, so receiving the acceptance letter was a freeing moment. I never want to stress as much over grades here as I did in high school. As Julia Hogan claimed, “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” (Hogan). I often felt this way throughout highschool when it came to my grades or other extracurricular activities such as basketball, like if I did not make varsity or the highest honor roll I was not good enough for Notre Dame. During my freshman year, I have been able to maintain the same standards for myself by working hard and staying disciplined without a high level of stress and it has been really healthy for me. This is something I hope to maintain throughout my four years of college even when my life does inevitably get more difficult during job recruiting and higher level classes. Another aspect of Notre Dame that I have appreciated is how many unique perspectives the students here have. Coming from Houston, Texas, most people I knew had very similar backgrounds because we were all from the same neighborhood. While I loved becoming close to many people who were similar to me, I often felt group polarization taking place where our viewpoints were pushed to extreme levels because we had nobody to challenge us or add new ways of thinking to the table. During my second week of college, I said something at a party that would have been completely normal amongst my social circle back home, and I got challenged for my opinion. Instead of being stubborn, I listened to a different point of view and used the experience as an opportunity to grow. Division only hurts our university, so I believe students should be willing to challenge each other but also come to practical solutions. As Father Devron remarks, “The ongoing conflicts over critical race theory have followed a predictable pattern of polarization. For Catholic and Jesuit schools, this division is inimical to our mission and damaging to the body of Christ” (Devron S.J.). While people are entitled to their own beliefs, it is vital that these differences do not lead to division amongst the larger community. Having unique perspectives is great, but the second they become divisive and toxic there is a problem. The fact that Notre Dame is grounded in the Catholic faith is great because that spirituality can be used as a moral compass to inform the decisions and beliefs the students here have including myself. The Notre Dame community is such a special place. Please find another school where you can be challenged so rigorously both academically and spiritually while having a great time in the process. For example, within the span of a week I took an accounting midterm, a theology midterm then went to a football game on Saturday with my friends and found myself at dorm mass in Siegfried Hall Sunday night with that same group of friends. To me, this balance is something so unique and special about Notre Dame. It cultivates growth and enjoyment in multiple ways which is something no other university replicates in the same way as Notre Dame. Sure I may be biased, but this quotation perfectly illustrates my argument, “Community is not a goal to be achieved but a gift to be received” (Parker J. Palmer). The Notre Dame community has been the biggest gift I have ever received in my life. Both of my parents are Notre Dame alumni, so I have experienced this gift throughout my childhood as they raised me. Now being at Notre Dame on my own journey, I am even more thankful for the opportunity to take part in this amazing community because it truly is a gift. Now as I mentioned earlier, the guiding force of my life and this Notre Dame community is the Catholic faith which is something that makes Notre Dame unique from just about any top university in the United States. Some schools can be great places to learn, others can be great places to conduct research, but Notre Dame combines these two aspects of academia while also adding faith. Notre Dame perfectly combines faith, academics, and research which makes it the best fit for me. As the passage states, “Human life is only a long way of the cross. It is not necessary to enter the chapel or the church to run over the various stations. The way of the cross is everywhere, and we walk along it every day in spite of ourselves and often unknown to us” (Conference to sisters at St. Laurent, Canada, 1857). As I continue to live out my four years at Notre Dame and however long after that. I must always remember that God needs to lie at the center of my life. All of these great experiences and learning opportunities are only possible because of him. Part of being a good Catholic and living a good life is understanding the importance of faith. Sources Julia Hogan, LCPC. “Why Letting Go of Expectations Is a Freeing Habit.” Grotto Network, 29 Jan. 2020, https://grottonetwork.com/navigate-life/health-and-wellness/letting-go-of-expectations/?ut m_source=fall_2021&utm_medium=class&utm_id=moreau. Devron, Christopher J., et al. “Should Catholic Schools Teach Critical Race Theory?” America Magazine, 20 Aug. 2021, https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2021/06/03/critical-race-theory-catholic-high-scho ols-black-lives-matter-240792. “Thirteen Ways of Looking at Community • Center for Courage & Renewal.” Center for Courage & Renewal, 25 Feb. 2017, http://couragerenewal.org/parker/writings/13-ways-of-looking-at-community/. Holy Cross and Christian Education