Intg 2: Prompt 1
Prompt 1
More than Meets the Eye
Arriving at Notre Dame was a lot like what I’d thought it would be, on the surface everyone is quite similar in race, religion, class, etc. However, I’ve never been one to believe in diversity defined by the identities society presses upon people. I am reminded of the words of Professor Fuentes, as in his video “Diversity Matters!”, he discusses how important it is that we begin to see diversity as more than an outward characteristic, like race, the usual stereotype for the meaning of ‘diversity’ (“Diversity Matters!” by Professor Agustin Fuentes). I have come to appreciate his words here at ND more than I ever thought possible, as I have always enjoyed the stories of everyone I meet, yet I see that in a place full of people so seemingly similar, even we are diverse. White, black, poor, rich, and any other category in between, it doesn’t matter, as the importance lies in the experience of a person and the wonderful differences that can be brought to a community, biological and class differences matter little over the worth of a person.
Sometimes I fear that we subscribe too heavily to the “single story”, which I believe is every bit as dangerous as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie described it to be. The single story can lead us to stereotype an entire community, country, race, or religion based on our limited experience with a culture or belief different than our own (“The Danger of a Single Story” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie). I also believe that the single story has even more damaging effects, moving us to categorize people, rather than letting them shine for the amazing individual they truly are. I myself find new, surprising little interactions with culture each day of my life here at ND. The girl who lives next door is from Panama, and speaks Spanish in reply to your English question when she is especially sleepy. The boy across from me in philosophy couldn’t find a copy of the book he needed to read in English, but he could find one in his native language and read it from there instead. My best friend spent hours with me in the library helping me search for a book, and tried to help by translating the German copy to the best of his ability as I was close to tears. The guy I invited to a dance comes from a rough background, but was kind and open about his experiences, and excited to share his plans for a book and presidency. While I may not notice massive interactions with other cultures or lifestyles, when I stop to think, I realize that my life here is amazing, allowing me to interact each day with people of such diverse experience. It has also helped me to see my own identity even more clearly, as I remember that my looks lead to a far different “single story” than my actual life. A white, Republican, Catholic girl from the South, a commonplace staple at ND, or is it? I grew up in Japan, spent years traveling and moving all over the world, I am joining the Navy to serve the country I love, and I am a female STEM major. Not only have I come to find an amazing love for the culture and variety here at Notre Dame, but I have found a new love and appreciation for my own life and experiences, as my identity is a strong part of what got me here to the home I love more than anything.
"Look Closer!" original media by Carissa Baldwin
made via Motivator
A commentary on the single story of Notre Dame's diversity, that we are all the same because we appear similar.
Intg 2: Prompt 2
Prompt 2
Getting to Know My Own Health
Growing up, wellness was never really something that we were taught about. Of course, there was the necessary discussion of the food pyramid and we were told to exercise to stay healthy, but health and wellness were very rarely viewed as a wholesome concept of the necessary components of being a truly healthy person. As a result of my leaning here at ND in Moreau, I feel like my understanding of that well-rounded health is much clearer. The Wellness Wheel Inventory from McWell was a big wake-up call to me, alerting me to the fact that living truly well involves more than physical fitness (Wellness Wheel Inventory" by The McDonald Center for Student Well-Being). I discovered the holistic well-being that I really needed to be healthy and happy in my time at college, putting value on spiritual, emotional, financial, occupational, social, environmental, and intellectual health as well as the purely nutritional and exercise-based idea of health I grew up with. I understand now that in my time at school, in alignment with the mission of a Holy Cross education, I must develop myself as a whole person and keep my holistic health in mind.
As a freshman in college, it has definitely been a challenge to balance my new life away from home. Living on my own has added new challenges to staying healthy, both mentally and physically, as so much more is expected from me now. But at the same time, my new freedom has given me a chance to really explore what I need as a person, seeing how much sleep I need to stay healthy, how often I need to pray to feel spiritually sound, and how important taking a break to be social and go out is to my mental health. As discussed in Week 9, sleep is absolutely key to remaining a healthy, functioning human being. The “Your Brain on Sleep” videos with Professor Jessica Payne clarify this fact, discussing how sleep is the important time in which the brain processes and stores the information from the day. Without this time for the brain to “recharge”, the brain isn’t able to store the information you need to have abstract, creative ideas and make connections between events, thoughts, and the things you’ve learned ("Your Brain on Sleep" by Professor Jessica Payne). At first, I was sure that my very unhealthy sleep schedule from high school would suffice here at college, but I soon learned that the intellectual demand of Notre Dame is far too great for a sleep deprived brain to handle. So, I had to learn to balance my life to where sleep was a priority, knowing I cannot function without being well-rested, and I have made sleep my primary focus for my health and wellness. Napping has become key to my schedule, something that I hope and plan to continue into the next semester, as I feel that it has really helped my performance.
Overall, I keep healthy by eating well, sleeping often, and exercising, as well as adding in prayer and fun when I can, to make sure that I am taking care of my body and my mind. Moreau itself has been my main resource for assistance with this oddly difficult endeavor, providing me information of people I can talk to, classes I can take, and even places I can nap. Altogether, I have compounded a very good understanding of what it takes to keep myself well, and I plan to maintain, or even increase, the level of effort I put into my health. My goal is to use what I have learned in my first semester for the semesters to follow, and I hope to try and sleep at least 7 hours a night, attend mass once a week, go out once a week, and nap when I get the chance, as I know that when I am healthy, I am happy, and I can be successful.
"My Brain When I Don't Sleep" original media by Carissa Baldwin
picture provided by and made via Meme Generator
Respresentative of my internal struggle to be good to my body and watch out for my health, because even when I know what I should do, it can still be difficult to follow through.
Intg 2: Prompt 3
Prompt 3
A Home for Now and Forever
The goals of the Moreau are not easy ones, they require a lot of thought, effort, and maybe even a change of perspective. I think while each goal comes with its own complexities, the most difficult goal for me has definitely been Goal 1: Understand the complexity and expectations of Notre Dame. Coming from a family with no connection has been quite the experience, as it can be difficult to jump in at a place like this so rooted in tradition, especially when you have no idea what to expect. I feel so incredibly blessed to be here at Notre Dame, but I know that I still have a lot more to learn about my home. One thing that is clear is that Notre Dame expects a lot of its students, pushing us to become better, more well-rounded people. There is an unspoken agreement here that we have a common goal, to seek out our dreams and our success, and so together we work, understanding the struggles of our fellow students as we make our own way.
And so, I am dedicated to understanding my wonderful university for all that it is. There is so much history, faith, and opportunity here, that next semester I plan to make more of an effort to discover what I can. It seems like I cannot truly understand Notre Dame for what it is without experiencing all it has to offer, as my university is so full of speeches to hear, plays to see, symposiums to attend, and clubs to join that I feel that I am doing myself a disservice if I do not enjoy all the chances I am offered here. Beyond events and experiences, there is also a massive amount of expectation placed on ND students, from the Honor Code to Du Lac, much of which I feel I am still attempting to grasp. As far as completing my goal, I believe that success will come when I can look at myself as a Notre Dame student and confidently believe that I am an involved member of the community here on campus.
I find my motivation to reach this goal because I love this school so much and I want to truly be a part of the community that is built here. From the second I stepped foot on this campus I knew I belonged here, and now it is my time to truly belong by truly coming to understanding of the expectations my home has for me. The benefits I expect are simple, that I will get exactly what I put into my work to achieve this goal, as each step I take to understand my role in the Irish family, the more connected I become to my home.
The course itself has been key to my steady progress towards understanding Notre Dame. In my mind, two specific weeks in the course stand out as having had the most effect on my development here. The first is Week 3, which focused on the Notre Dame community, telling its story, explaining the Holy Cross education, and truly introducing the spirit of Notre Dame. I remember distinctly how amazed I was as I read the “A Dome of Learning” article, stunned that I was so lucky to attend a university built on the hope, drive, and fortitude of figures such as Fr. Moreau and Fr. Sorin. Not even the destruction of the campus’ most treasured building to keep down the Irish spirit that drives us to be a truly great college, and like all of us when life tears us down, rebuilding is the only way to begin again ("A Dome of Learnining: The University of Notre Dame's Main Building" by Thomas Schlereth). Learning about the determination that turned a log cabin into a prestigious university is such an inspiration, and it gives life to the five pillars we stand for here at Notre Dame: Mind, Heart, Zeal, Family, and Hope. Also as important to my understanding of Notre Dame was Week 6 because of its discussion of Academic Success and the Honor Code, as I feel that I now can comprehend the high standards my university holds for me. In the video “The Integrity of the Family”, Professor David Clairmont made it clear that at a place like Notre Dame, we are a family, and things like cheating and plagiarism destroy that family that we all hold so dear ("The Integrity of the Family" by Professor David Clairmont). It was so eye-opening for me to see academic dishonesty in this way, presented as a damage to the community as a whole, rather than on a personal level, making Notre Dame a university where dedication to honesty and truly creating qualified graduates is the work of the whole. And now I know for sure that I love this university for all that it is, and that I believe I can belong to the family here now and forever.
"Small Campus, Big Expectations" original media by Carissa Baldwin
made via Motivator