I went to the Outsiders’ Monologues alone.
I arrived at the 900 room sort of late—late enough that it was nearly impossible to find a seat but early enough that there were still Chipotle burritos (which I ignored, in pursuit of a seat). It makes me happy that multiple people cared enough about this event to ignore the free Chipotle in lieu of finding a seat so that they could listen. It definitely often seems like free food is the real reason people come to events. (There’s a reason why Free BBQ chose its name.) But if one thing about Davidson is true, it’s that we appreciate hearing people’s stories. Even more than free Chipotle. That, to me, is saying something.
I think this appreciation for stories is also what makes the Outsiders’ Monologues such a success. The monologues not only tell moving stories performed by talented speakers, but the pieces themselves are also incredibly well crafted. Not one monologue was like the other: some were more straightforward speeches, while others read as more poetic, spoken word pieces. Some were performed by just one person, while others very successfully used two performers to tell the stories. The monologues included submissions from students as well as faculty and staff, and the list of performers also included faculty and staff as well as students, which was a lovely addition. Topics discussed ranged from race, sexual orientation, religion, and feminism, to eating disorders, suicide, depression, grief, and more. These are heavy topics, indeed, but they’re things we need to be talking about. These are narratives we need to hear: stories we can sympathize and empathize with, but also stories that are not our own.
Davidson is a strange place; we are constantly surrounded by nearly two thousand other people, and yet it’s still so easy to feel completely alone. It’s comforting to know that we’re not the only ones who feel this way. There is always someone who will be willing to listen to us, and the Outsiders’ Monologues just proves that. Thank you so much to those who planned this event for reminding us all two important things: to share our stories and to listen.
The team behind the Outsiders’ Monologues would greatly appreciate if everyone took their survey. They will turn these answers into an art piece that will be displayed around campus and also use them to inform next year’s Outsiders’ Monologues.