Smith 1


Maria Finan
Moreau FYE
3 Dec. 2021
The Fastest Semester Ever
My first semester here at Notre Dame could be characterized by speed. Transitioning from a senior year that was corrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, I did not know what to expect. Everything came at me head-first – the good and the bad. I got a normal college semester, full of both highs and lows. For that, I am grateful. It has come with surprises and challenges, and I believe that I am a better person than I was just this August. 
First, this semester has been a time of learning. In the classroom, I have gained a better awareness of my role in the world. I attribute this mostly to my Introduction to Global Affairs and Integral Human Development class. The class has exposed me to so much, and above all, it has helped me identify priorities and causes worthy of my attention. For example, I am not interested in addressing climate and health challenges that previously did not appear to me.
Additionally, my Introduction to Microeconomics class has allowed me to realize that I think like an economist. Last year, I encountered the term marginal utility, but I did not really know where it came from. Still, I adopted it to fit with my approach to the world; resources have more value in the hands of those with less. Then, I learned about its roots in my class this semester. I have realized that I think and act like an economist and want to pursue economics as a major. 
I have also quickly learned that there are plenty of students here who are even smarter than me. I knew I was going to be surrounded by an intelligent student body, but I had perhaps too much confidence in myself. Consequently, I have had to accept that my grades will be lower than in high school. People had told me this before, but I always thought I was different. Yet, I am not different. So, these first few months have humbled me in ways that I needed. Also, I have found that when I worry less about grades, I am able to maintain more peace of mind. 
On the topic of academics, I my coursework has been greater than I anticipated. It has been difficult to stay on top of work and maintain healthy practices like a solid sleep schedule. Did I really expect to get to bed before 11pm every weeknight, like I did in high school? It seems crazy, now, that I did. But over the course of the semester, I have experimented with some solutions that allow me to get more rest and stay on top of academics. I am proud that I have managed to turn 1:30s into 12:30s on many nights. A key to that has been telling myself that an afternoon first class does not warrant an afternoon wake up. My sleep schedule is not perfect, but it is getting better.
Similarly, I have witnessed no dull moments this semester outside the classroom. It has been great in that I have enjoyed many things that I was excited about, like football games and SYRs. Meanwhile, there has been little time to take a break. Even during my return trips home – for fall break and Thanksgiving – I have had trouble relaxing as much as I had wanted. Since August, I have been in a constant state of action. It has been difficult, but through exposing myself to so much, I have been able to grow and identify what is best for me specifically. Maybe next semester I will not play three different interhall sports at once, but I would not have figured that out without doing it.
On the other hand, I was too ambitious about some parts of social life. I guess I expected to make friends right off the bat who could be substitutes for my high school friends. Similarly, I did not really appreciate my high school friends enough when I arrived here. As mentioned by the girl in Week 9 video, Emery, “The notion that my college friends should be stand-ins for my close relationships from home: impossible.” Just a few months in now, I already agree with her. Besides adjusting my perspective, I have decided to keep in touch with my friends from home more than I had initially planned to. It can be difficult to juggle that, but I have found it to be rewarding and worthwhile.
For the most part, I did not expect to be exposed to so much just a few months in. Early on, I often felt unprepared and unequipped to deal with certain situations. But I try to return to the view conveyed in The Screwtape Letters and look at my current setting through a broader lens. One line stood out to me in particular: “In His efforts to get permanent possession of a soul, He relies on the troughs even more than on the peaks.” (Week 12) This quote enunciates what I remind myself, which is that challenges are perfectly normal. When I consider how special Notre Dame is and remember that things will work out, I can become my best self. I remind myself that I should not opt out of my communities at Notre Dame when they are uncomfortably. If a community is malleable, “One stays in the crucible only if one is committed to being refined by fire.” (Week 11)
Also, if I believe in this definition of a community, then I can improve it from within. But that starts with my own development. As Fr. Jenkins said, “If we were capable of reducing the hatred of others, we would already have done it.” (Week 10) Likewise, I cannot blame others for some negative aspects of our world. Instead, I must look to myself and take some responsibility. That is why I am so grateful for these first few months. They have not been easy, but they have been necessary. I am eager to continue this growth in whatever ways God takes me here at Notre Dame going forward.