Winter 2024 · Torch: U.S. · TABLE OF CONTENTS
12
While there are many things that I can think of doing at convention, I think one of the biggest (and my favorite) was probably meeting and speaking to people.
Whether it was at Meet the Candidates, in the cafeteria, at Student Union, or just generally around UTK campus, I always found someone who was willing to talk—telling me stories about their life, rants about general topics (someone from Texas /really/ knows their aqueducts, she talked about them for 10+ minutes in the rain), or just general ideas about the people running for office.
I think I found this to be the most enjoyable part as it showed that everyone- no matter their story, came here with a shared cause. That celebrating the Classics can bring people of all walks of life together to learn from the past to try and make a better future.
This was my first time going to the NJCL, so I was a little nervous about what might happen. However, everyone was so welcoming that it put me instantly at ease. It was so exciting to see so many other people who were learning Latin just as I was!
During that amazing week, I took a lot of head-spinning tests, saw a round of very intense Certamen, typed an 800-word essay in a few hours (then I won 3rd place, incidentally) and hollered myself hoarse during the Agora, all the while laughing until my sides ached. In short, I thoroughly enjoyed myself! I made many friends and I’m hoping to come again next year with more Latin-loving Alaskans! Finally, a special shout-out to the Texas JCL: Thank you so much for all your help! Y’all are absolutely fantastic!
Thomas Noone
Liberty High School
Nevada JCL
FIVE MONTHS SINCE:
CONVENTION 2024: IN RETROSPECT
Julia Wang
BEST Homeschool
Alaska JCL