Your Voice Counts!

I wouldn’t consider Greg Mortenson’s experience on K2 to be a failure. Though he did not climb the mountain like he had initially planned, he still had an experience that lasted a lifetime and drove him to a life of service for others that most people simply would not pursue.I think Mortenson’s climb would have been a failure if no good came out of it, if he just went home and gave up on everything.

If there is anything I’ve learned while attending Fairfield University, and in life in general, it is that nobody ever achieved anything while staying in their comfort zone, and Mortenson is proof of that. If you want something, go after it with your fullest effort because only when you commit to something will you find out if it’s right for you. If you have a passion for something, pursue it. If you have a cause, fight for it. And if you find that your purpose in life lies somewhere else, do not hesitate to change your course. Nobody’s always right, so don’t be afraid to change, but don’t be afraid to make a decision either.

I noticed that throughout the book that climbing K2 is continually referred to as a failure. Like many experiences that you will have during college (and in life) they are greatly dependent upon the perspective you hold. The “failure” that Greg Mortenson associates with K2 would be the beginning of success in educating thousands of students in one of the poorest and politically volatile regions of the world. Mortenson’s example compels us to always look for opportunity amongst what might initially appear to be an overwhelming obstacle.

Do you agree or disagree with the definition “failed attempt” a failure? Share your thoughts by leaving a response below.

I consider myself lucky to be of a Costa Rican family. More so, having family over there all my life has served with the advantage of living in their household while we visited, instead of a hotel meant for tourists. I consider that a blessing because, even for a little while, you live like they do, realizing the blessings one has as do they have. There are pros and cons to everything, of course, and I’d have to say at times sleeping with a mosquito net was rather hard to get used to.

With that being said, I feel that the advantage of learning of different cultures at Fairfield is that one is exposed to so many different people. To be fair, most institutions would offer the same circumstances, but I mainly realized and appreciated that people at Fairfield each had a story to tell in his or her special way. And likewise, I’d like to feel that I have something to offer to others.

The overall general direction that the U.S. is moving in is one of being more open, myself included. I more than ever just try to listen to other’s experiences, and realize that “culture” does not just mean myself coming from Costa Rica versus people I have met coming from El Salvador, or Germany, etc., but it also means acceptance of people’s choices. Read the rest of this entry »

Entering my junior year at Fairfield, I can tell you that freshman and sophomore year went by far too fast, but fortunately for me, they have been incredible in large part due to my involvement on campus. I was your average high school kid, played basketball, but didn’t do much else. I decided that needed to change in college. The minute I joined campus, I got involved in about 3-4 clubs. Except for one of them, I am currently not in any of those other activities. Yet now, entering my junior year, those “failed attempts” at some of the clubs opened the door to other opportunities, and more importantly, helped me meet friends I otherwise might not have.

Take risks with who you talk to, what clubs you join, and what classes you take. Everything in life is trial and error, and I encourage you try that, especially in your freshman year. You can go through college without getting very involved, and probably still make great friends and have good experiences, but when you get to be an upperclassman, you’ll start to wonder if there’s anything you could’ve done differently. Don’t be in that position 2-3 years from now.

Have you ever been in a situation to learn things by trial and error? Share your story by leaving a response below.

Mortenson describes his failure as not reaching the top of K2, however this was probably his greatest success. He was able to achieve so much more because he did not reach the top. Attempting to climb K2 was a difficult task in itself. There were many things that stood in his way, many obstacles he had to overcome, however, it was all these obstacles that made his journey more worthwhile. Mortenson’s failure only allowed him to achieve new goals and reach new heights. He may not have climbed to the top, but by “failing” he came to realize what he wanted, his path in life was greater than he ever imagined. Any failure in life can always be seen as an obstacle that must be overcome to achieve greatness. By switching his focus from a “failure” because he did not reach the top, to setting new goals he was able to move on and conquer bigger obstacles. I think we should all look to Mortenson’s example when we are faced with difficult times in our life, to turn it around, walk a different path and realize we are meant for so much more.

“ It is on our failures that we base a new and different and better success.”
– Havelock Ellis

Have you ever been in a situation to turn the failure into a success? Share your story by leaving a response below.

Greg Mortensen asks a key Ignatian question, “How am I called to make a difference in the world?” Three Cups of Tea is not only a story of one man’s work in making a difference but a journey of discernment where he finds the best use of his unique talents. Mr. Mortensen’s journey has been a lifelong journey that has continued through a lifetime of searching for where his talents, skills and passions would best serve the world.

As entering new students to Fairfield University, you have a unique opportunity to enter a learning community that will empower a journey to find your calling. In this community, you also have a responsibility – a duty really to realize your own potential, to share your passions and to make a difference in the lives of those you touchVery few of us will build schools in Pakistan; however, we can all make life a bit easier, a bit better and a lot stronger in our immediate communities

We can approach every interaction we have with others as a moment of sacredness. We can take the time to truly listen to the dreams, fears, hopes and anxieties of our new roommates, floormates and classmates. We can share our most authentic selves by sharing with courage our curiosities, our values and our traditions. We can be open to the experiences of others without judgment but with love and empathy. Mortensen’s question is inherently Ignatian because he asks us to consider how we are called to serve for the greater glory of God.

When you arrive at Fairfield, how will you BE? How will you explore your passions? How will discover your talents? How will you serve others? How will you be open to the lives of others you meet? And most importantly, how will you BE and DO in your community?

Welcome to Fairfield University and thank you for the difference you will make in our community

Deborah Cady Melzer, Ph.D
Dean of Student Development

This book challenges us to consider what it means to be a foreigner adapting to another culture. Mara Giarratana Young, an RA from Regis Hall shares her experiences with foreign cultures at Fairfield University…

I come from the San Francisco Bay Area. The overwhelming number of cultures which reside in San Francisco and vie for space in this tiny city alone is shocking. On the way to school on the city bus you might hear people yapping away in Mandarin, Cambodian, Laotian, Spanish, Japanese, Cantonese, Russian, Cambodian or Korean. (It takes very little time before one is able to distinguish and recognize the sounds of one language from another.) Yet when I arrived at Fairfield University, at the very brink of living on my own, I came upon the most foreign culture I have yet encountered: the college student culture. All my previously cultivated habits from high school went right back to California with my parents. The academics, the mass-produced cafeteria food, the professors, the students, the dorm life… everything about college is a new experience. Should I stay up with my new friends to watch the sunrise? Maybe I’ll eat ice cream for breakfast. Perhaps I feel partial for a jaunt around campus at three AM when the full moon is at its largest. Never again will I have to wake up before nine if I plan my schedule carefully! The possibilities are endless with the newfound freedom this culture allows.

In reflection, dorm life was the largest challenge of my freshman year. Read the rest of this entry »