Intg 1: Prompt 1
Prompt 1
Walsh Hall, Best Hall
I remember almost vividly the very first time I stepped out of that cab which stopped right in front of Walsh Hall. Unsure of either being really excited or super anxious or both, I dragged my gigantic baggage and a small carry-on to the doorway, up a couple of stairs, and finally in front of the main door. I arrived at what is called as my “home” for the next four years. With doubt and bravery, I pressed on the bell and whispered to myself, “maybe I’m ready for this.” A moment later, a girl with the biggest smile appeared and nicely welcomed me inside. I was escorted to my room and eventually, within minutes, I was settled in a little space I needed to picture myself living in for a whole solid year.
It was and it is and it will be a very much different setting compared to my real home back in Indonesia. Walsh Hall will never be my first home, however over the course of six weeks, I have learnt so much to open myself to accepting differences and changes, making me allow myself to see Walsh as a second home day by day. One of the contributing reasons lies behind the fact that the people in Walsh are very welcoming and they genuinely want me to feel at home. This goes especially for my Rector, Liz and my RA, Megan, who have been showing me that they care of me, of what I am feeling and of what I am worried about. Moreover, there are also my family group and my Big Sister. A family group has two family leaders and other first year students and a Big Sister is an upperclassman assigned to one freshman. There are so many ways in which Notre Dame and Walsh Hall provide for all of the new students to feel at home and I could not be more grateful for that.
I believe this transition of coming from a country 24-hour worth of flying to Notre Dame has been one of the challenging obstacles in my life. Nonetheless, I am a person who is up for challenges and I take them as ways for me to grow. Hence, I think this experience connects with the Course Goal 1 and its outcome, which are to “understand complexity and expectations of ND community” and to “act in accordance with community standards” accordingly. Also, it ties in with the Pillars of “Mind” and “Family”, in such a way that I seek understanding and show appreciation for diverse cultures other than mine, as well as I am willing to build and maintain healthy relationships with the sisters at Walsh.
Furthermore, being in the Moreau First Year Experience class has helped me to be more open-minded and humble in approaching the change. In Week 1, we learnt about “Community and the Notre Dame Family”; in Week 2, “The Intersection of Identities”; and in Week 3, “Interpersonal Relationships”. These three important topics taught me to slowly believe in the process that it just needs time for me to fully adjust and disregard homesickness once, as there really is my family here, with the condition if I allow them to be my family. Therefore, I plan to break out from my comfort zone and throw myself to get to know the women in my hall, especially by joining in the Service Committee of Walsh Hall.
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http://tour.nd.edu/assets/27926/original/walsh_hall_landing.jpg 
Intg 1: Prompt 2
Prompt 2
Welcoming Challenges
Among my six courses, one of them, which happens every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, is entitled “Writing and Rhetoric: Environmental Ethics”. With only just the 15 of us, the class is dedicated to enhancing the students’ writing skills, in addition to educating the students about the planet Earth and its environment. I must say, this particular class is one of the most difficult classes I am attending, as the broad concentrated topic revolves around science and it requires us to submit one paper every other week. From my past experiences, I could see that I am not a “science” person, however from my past experiences, I could also see that I very much enjoy the art of writing.
Moreover, as an International student, I have been finding a difficulty in contributing in class discussions. The writing course mentioned above, especially, involves a lot of discussions in class. A big part of why it is a challenge for me lies on the fact of how different the schooling systems are in Asia and America. In Asia, students tend to be more focused on going through textbooks together and listening to teachers’ explanations in class. In addition, sometimes I stumble upon the readings, with some really foreign writing styles and uncommon scientific terms. As a result, I often approach my professor, who is very gentle and understanding, after class to give me some more insights and clarifications about certain topics.
On the other hand, this writing class has been a blast as there are great and helpful sessions prepared by the professor. First, we have conferences, which occur after the first draft of a paper is submitted. A conference is a one-on-one time with the professor to discuss our writing. He always gives useful suggestions to improve our papers. More interestingly, there are class periods that are fully dedicated for sessions called workshops. A workshop is a day in which the class discusses the pieces of writing of some of the students in class. Through these, I really got the chance to study other writers’ work and learn from them.
Therefore, however tough this course might be, I approach it with a positive attitude. Not to step back; but to strive forward. My approach links with Course Goal 2 and its outcome, “taking advantage of crucial academic and university resources” and “making informed and appropriate academic decisions” respectively. Furthermore, the two Pillars that are connected to the situation, I believe, are “Mind” and “Zeal”. It is “Mind”, because I understand my individual inquiry, yet foster self-reflection and find the deeper purpose behind the challenge. It is “Zeal”, because I possess the fueling desire to learn and I do not turn around and walk away from all the difficulties.
One of the most influential positivities comes from my Moreau First Year Experience class on Week 6, which had the topic of “A Mindset for Academic Goals and Growth”, especially the TedTalk video of “The Power of Belief – Mindset and Success”. I believe that I am a person of growth mindset, as I value effort more than outcome and I stand by the power of hard work instead of intelligence. For that, I plan to constantly learn from other peers by creating a little study group. I also plan to visit my professor’s office hours and the Writing Centre at Notre Dame as ways to develop myself as a writer and as a learner.
Media:
http://www.ndnu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/evening-students.jpg
Intg 1: Prompt 3
Prompt 3
Business for Community
There are many things I like about Notre Dame, and one of them is my First Year Advisor, Dr. Lemrow. I have been meeting with her several times now to discuss about my academic interests, my intended major, and my future plans. What I like most about Dr. Lemrow is her willingness and passion in helping and directing students, including myself, to go for their own interests, to slowly find the majors that suit their personalities, and to eventually make that happen. Talking to her has always been a pleasure to me as she is both an amazing listener and great advisor.
Unlike the majority of the freshmen I talked to, I am determined in my major, which is Business, although I am not exactly sure which Business path I will take. Two of the major influences come from my father and my sister. I grew up seeing my father work in one of the largest company back in my home country, and talking and discussing about business related topics with my sister, as she is in the Finance major. As a result, my passion towards business studies was formed since I was in middle school.
Moreover, I am certain of my purpose in pursuing business. Growing up in Indonesia for all of my 18 years, I have seen poverty all over the place and my heart goes for the underprivileged kids running around the roads of Indonesia who instead should be going to school and getting the proper education they deserve. As someone who is very blessed not to experience such difficulty, I want to give back to the community through business. I plan to build a company that is ethical and is focused on helping and enhancing the lives of the millions who are trapped in the cycle of poverty, whatever ways they may be. This, I believe, is connected to the Pillar of “Heart” which is all about rooting choices in values, and underscoring questions of ethics, service, and leadership. In addition to that, the Pillar of “Hope” also plays a big part, as I make decisions with confidence, although such decisions require a lot of sacrifices and determination to accomplish. The decisions I make will affect the rest of my life, and so I am hoping to use my life to make an impact, which will start in my own city, Jakarta.
Related to Course Goal 5 and its outcome, my decisions in taking Business for a greater purpose “reflect on my intellectual, professional and spiritual lives”, making choices out of my interests in giving back to the community. On the other hand, in order to succeed, I understand that certain good learning strategies should be implied in my college years. Week 5 of the Moreau First Year Experience class talked about “Effective Learning and Memory”. It reminded me of the seriousness of the Honor Code I signed from reading “Undergraduate Student Guide to the Academic Code of Honor”. It also helped me to figure out ways in learning in the best efficient ways as possible. Also, I intend to build a good relationship with my advisor, as I trust her in helping and directing me as I pursue my interests at Notre Dame. I will also do my part in researching the specific majors the Mendoza has to offer. Although a lot has to be done, I believe without a doubt that in the end, all will be so worth it.
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