Microsoft Word - Moreau Integration 4.docx Schenck 1 Prof Retartha Moreau First Year Experience 29 April 2022 How Do I Pursue a Well-Lived Life? Part I: Mission Statement (274/1013 Words) A root belief that I articulated in the fall semester is maintaining a balance between school, extra curriculars, and the college experience. My belief was emboldened throughout the academic year. I learned to recognize that a 3.7 GPA with memories, relationships, and experiences is far more valuable than anything a solo 4.0 GPA could bring. The exercise of writing my own eulogy further strengthened my belief, for if I were to die today, I would leave behind a life well lived rather than a foundation for a tomorrow that never came. I believe that God is ever-present in the choices I make and hardships I endure, even if some things leave me questioning what, why, and how they happen if God is present. To be successful is to find happiness in doing what is best for both myself and others. I consider the highest good in life to be cognitive resilience/health, for mental strength is the foundation for every decision, step, and opportunity. I consider relationships with no personal gratification to be characteristic of a life well lived, for at the root of them exists selflessness and no anterior motives. I respond to suffering by helping in ways I can. To embrace humanity is to love everyone entirely, and to not use personal beliefs as a means to proctor how other people should live. I grow in wisdom by following my commitments until I fail, and then coming back stronger. I have a responsibility to Schenck 2 use the privilege of being a Notre Dame student to do good with my degree. To act with courage is to ignore doubts standing in the face of righteousness. Part II: How My Mission Statement Will Animate My Next Three Years (739/1013 Words) I failed my first three college exams. The first exam I failed was in introductory psychology, the second exam I failed was in general biology, and the third exam I failed was in general chemistry. It was an absolute slap in the face… not once, but three times. I went into my midterms with only one A: Moreau. I knew these classes were freshman pre-med weed-outs, but I was not expecting to be underperforming in subjects I was historically strong in. I missed out on many social events, hours of sleep, and meals to prepare for the failed exams. Moving into the second half of the semester, I took advice from one of my mentors (my boss) in South Bend. While I thought I was failing because of a lack of academic preparation, she told me that I was likely failing because of a lack of proper sleep, nutrition, and life balance. After prioritizing what I once put off, I managed to finish the semester with only one B. By continuing to prioritize what may seem like distractions, I continue to perform to my highest ability both in the classroom and in my community. Although I do not remember studying for any exam, I do remember the youth lacrosse team I helped coach, the 7th grader in South Bend I tutored in math, the neuroscience children’s book I illustrated, and the hospice patient I volunteer for. Considering that I believe being successful is finding happiness in doing what is best for both me and others, I grow in wisdom by following such commitments until the end. By balancing four jobs last semester, there were times when I thought I was going to succeed in nothing by trying to do everything. When I would have these thoughts, I would consider which commitment I was going to quit on. However, I knew that I would rather fall short in something Schenck 3 than quit on something or someone relying on me. Either a restaurant would be understaffed, a kid would no longer have a tutor, a team would no longer have a coach, or a book would have no illustrations. By seeing my four employment commitments until the end, I grew in wisdom by learning not to overcommit myself in the future. If I had merely quit, I may have developed a habit in breaking off whatever commitment tips me over the edge. Such a habit would be irresponsible and unfair to those I was quitting on. I continue to grow in wisdom by not only continuing to follow my commitments until the end, but by committing myself to less. My mission to honor my commitments will continue to animate my life by ensuring I find happiness in what I do. The more I commit to, the more I feel obligated to finish instead of honored to attend. By committing to less but remaining devoted, I can be happier in what I do and those I work with will be happier to see more fulfilling results. In three years, my graduating class will be just as close to 30 years old as we will be to the age that we first entered high school (14 years old). The “what do you want to be when you grow up” question will no longer be hypotheticals. I will be graduating undergrad just to enter med school. I will still be years away from my career, racking up medical school debt, and watching my youngest sister graduate high school. When I finally graduate medical school, I will be entering residency to work 80-hour weeks at an hourly wage less than I made waiting tables. However, in three years I will also be able to look back and know my mission statement guided a life well-lived. I knew life was going to fly by, but I was not expecting it to go by THIS fast. By following an active mission statement as opposed to limiting goals to the future, I will not die with a life full of dreams. My eulogy will not be full of what I wanted to do, but of what I actually did. I came to Notre Dame with a lot of ambitions, many commitments, and a few dreams. However, I am entering sophomore year with narrowed ambitions, a few commitments, Schenck 4 and active goals. In doing so, I will be more successful in what I strive to accomplish and happier during the process.