2016 Convention Stories

Sigma Tau Delta Convention Story

Katherine Blanner
Alpha Mu Gamma Chapter
Rockhurst University, Kansas City, MO

A lot of the time I feel like I don’t belong. Perhaps it is my heavy life experiences or my simultaneously contemplative and critical nature, but very rarely do I feel as though my personhood connects with that of those around me. English majors, like myself, are a rare breed of humans who desire to instill empathy within those around them but nevertheless continually find themselves in a seemingly perpetual state of an inability to feel as though they, as though I, belong.

Finding home in what I have known to be my adult life is a manner that is difficult for the aforementioned reasons. However, unexpectedly, hundreds of miles away from the place where I live while visiting a foreign Midwestern city, I truly found where my home is. I found that I belong among those whose minds are built for writing; my inherent desire to project and receive empathy has been received, recognized, and appreciated at the Sigma Tau Delta convention.

While my time to interact with my fellow English majors was limited, I began to understand my fellow writers in the rawest of manners during the presentations of papers. From works of creative non-fiction to academic works regarding nineteenth century authors, I found the greatest amount of empathy I have ever encountered. From each presenter, I found myself able to understand, criticize, and empathize with the stories, knowing they would accept and appreciate my feedback.

Among the Sigma Tau Deltans I found that I belonged, the sentiment instilled through osmosis among the people whose minds were built for the communication of the deepest sentiments of the soul and whose hearts were courageous enough to share such thoughts.