Integration #2 by Isabella Nunez Isabella Nunez Professor Vanessa Chan Moreau 3 December 2021 Encountering Myself at Notre Dame Setting foot in Notre Dame I was not sure what to expect, or what was expected of me. I was definitely nervous and scared that I would not fit in or be able to find myself among my fellow freshmen. However, I soon came to realize that I was not alone in such a feeling and that I had a group of people that would support me throughout my whole journey. My dorm mates, my professors and my advisors have been there for me throughout this whole process and have given me the comfort of knowing I have people to fall back on. Their kindness and understanding has allowed me to feel free to explore everything Notre Dame has to offer which has also led to many discoveries about myself. I have had the privilege to analyze different aspects of my life and understand how my own dissonance, brokenness, community and hope can lead to a beautiful horizon of friendship and success, academic and personal, here at Notre Dame. The first thing I remember when experiencing Notre Dame was feeling incredibly lonely. I did not know anybody and felt that any friendship that I created was fleeting and meaningless since they did not seem to “stick” or be the right fit. I struggled in finding what to talk about with others and I could not comprehend why people would be so excited to experience college if college was truly like this. I was also scared of thinking that that one experience was all there was to it. I did not want to believe that I would spend the next four years of my life feeling so out of place and uncomfortable. However, thanks to God, this was not the case. A few days after my initial college experience shock I met a wonderful girl named Annabelle in my dorm. We became very close friends and she even introduced me to another girl named Lluvia. We discovered we all had a lot in common and even where we were different, we complement one another. I started to feel more at home and comfortable within my community and realized the pleasure of spending time with people who truly enjoy your company and appreciate you for who you are. Soon after we all became friends, we started having conversations, as friends do, and we discovered that many of our initial college experiences had actually been quite similar. We all related to Emery Bergmann in that we found it hard to believe that we would be able to “find our people” (“Advice From a Formerly Lonely College Student” by Emery Bergmann - Moreau FYE Week 9). The way she described the college experience as a freshman was so painfully accurate it made us laugh way too hard. Looking back on it, it seems quite silly that I was so terrified. I guess it was because I did not really understand what I was getting myself into. I feel like in this experience I learned that creating genuine relationships takes time and I should not feel so scared the next time I am thrown into a new situation. I feel like I now have a better understanding on how to handle situations and I have also learned that I need to be patient in order to find the people I am meant to be with. I discovered that once I let go of the expectations I had of college and the people around me I was able to truly be open and know that whatever I feel is probably what those around me feel too, so it is okay to relax and try to take it slow when approaching new situations. Moreover, I also had a strong fear that I would not be able to fit in as an international student of color. I really enjoyed reading Christopher Devron’s article. A particular quote that struck me was, “Pope Francis and Catholic social teaching enjoin on us a responsibility to actively reverse systemic injustices that we have sadly inherited” (“Should Catholic Schools Teach Critical Race Theory?” by Christopher J. Devron - Moreau FYE Week 10). I felt at ease https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/09/well/family/advice-from-a-formerly-lonely-college-student.html https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2021/06/03/critical-race-theory-catholic-high-schools-black-lives-matter-240792 https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2021/06/03/critical-race-theory-catholic-high-schools-black-lives-matter-240792 knowing that the catholic community is one that embraces acceptance and has no tolerance for discrimantion of any kind. I also liked hearing within the article about how race can also be cause for divide. Here at Notre Dame I have discovered that I am accepted by every group of people and that I have nothing to fear in that respect. I have made friends of different backgrounds and cultures and we all enrich one another in different ways. Embracing our diversity has taught me the importance of acknowledging our differences and using them to learn from one another and discover we all have things to learn from those who surround us everyday. This is definitely a lesson I will carry throughout my life and share in my family and in my future workplace. I have also felt more at ease listening to other students experiences, “And a lot of people don’t recognize that because you can’t just place every race somewhere between black and white because the asian experience, the latino experience, is so different from the black experience” (“With Voice True Snapshot Summary” by Klau Center Archive on Race - Moreau FYE Week 11). I feel like it’s often hard for me to relate to others’ experiences about racism and social injustice. This video helped me realize that that is okay and that my experience is valid because feelings are particular to each person. I feel like this is something that will help me in the future when talking to different people and listening to their own experiences. There is no competition, but rather support needed in the community in order to be able to create an environment in which everyone is comfortable and able to be themselves. Finally, here at Notre Dame I encountered hope in my faith. I particularly enjoyed reading the Screwtape Letters. A quote that I quite enjoyed reading was, “We [demons] cannot tempt to virtue as we do to vice” (“Screwtape Letters” by C.S. Lewis - Moreau FYE Week 12). I truly have found that here at Notre Dame I have had the opportunity to be tempted to be virtuous. https://voicestrue.nd.edu/ https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/23692/files/187491/download?download_frd=1 Everything about Notre Dame lures you into reflection and prayer. I feel like I truly have gained insight into my life as a catholic and feel inspired to pray and live the catholic life through Notre Dame’s encouragement. This warms my heart and continues to make me glad I picked it as my university. I also feel like I am strengthening my faith and gaining confidence in it which will help me more as I grow older and form a family. I feel like it is important to acknowledge that our religions must be valid to us before we can transmit it to someone else. This is something that I feel I am and will continue to accomplish as I grow in my faith here at Notre Dame. In conclusion, my time here at Noter Dame has been short but sweet. I have learned a lot about myself but even better I have gained insight that has helped me grow and will continue to aid me in the future. Be it at work, at home or socially the lessons I am learning here at Notre Dame continue to make me more whole and knowledgeable about the world around me and the people that surround me. I have loved every minute of this experience and can only hope that next semester brings good things as well!