For my First Term Seminar at Gustavus Adolphus College, I took the class titled “Tell Me A Story”. I was excited for it the second I signed up for it. As someone who adores writing, it sounded like just the class for me. 3 months into it, I learned a lot more about the act of storytelling than I ever thought I would.

We didn’t even sit in your traditional desks and chairs while our professor teaches. Instead, we sit in chairs arranged in a circle with no desks, and our professor sitting with us. Throughout the semester we would read a chapter from our book and write about the prompt at the end of the chapter. With this prompt we were supposed to pull an experience from our lives that went along with it. My classmates talked about a bunch of things that happened to us, and it really gave us a perspective on each others lives. It’s crazy to think that I’ve only known them for about 3 months. I’ve told these people more than a lot of my friends know. Something about sharing your own stories brings you closer as people. I’m already sad thinking about the end of the semester.

We planned an event in the community very similar to what we did in class everyday. We decided on a prompt and invited whoever wanted to come to tell their story. We had a fantastic turnout, and we used up the entire 2 hours we had planned. Everyone that came kept telling stories, whether it was a funny story, a tearjerker, or a heartfelt story and each member of the audience was invested in the stories, actively listening and begging the storyteller to keep going.

We had two of these events, and both times I didn’t want the night to end. It was so interesting hearing all of the stories, and it felt good to tell my own. And that’s why I think everyone should take the time to have their own “story circle”. Whether it’s with strangers or a group of people you see regularly, telling your stories to others is a great experience. My FTS class has become so close because of it.

Story circles create a safe environment to tell your story and maybe get a few things off your chest. It relieves some stress and helps you see that maybe you aren’t so alone in the world. It also helped me come out of my shell a little. At one of the events I even told 2 stories when I wouldn’t have gotten up in front of people for money. Everyone deserves to be heard, and a story circle makes that possible.

So whether it’s just you and a few friends or a bunch of random people, having your story heard is a rewarding experience, and I definitely recommend it to everyone.