Post #20

Debate. I'm on the high school debate team. I do Lincoln Douglas debate, which is different for parliament or policy debate. But it's debate.

I have yet to have outside benefits from debate, but I hear they are many and not far away. I'm not that good at it, in my personal opinion. Apparently I rock, though.

I'm also doing Extemporaneous speech, which is where you're given a current events topic, any resources you bring in, and one half hour to prepare a seven-minute speech on that topic. It's not fun. I don't like doing it, but I've learned a lot from it, like how to appear knowledgable, confident, and experienced without knowing beans about the topic. It's benefitted me outside speech.

How ironic. The activity I most hate to do has benefitted me more than the one I like doing. It's not fair, I tell you.

I like a couple of my team mates, one that's in the novice division like myself, and one in the senior division, who rocks at debate. I find strength in them when there's none to be found in myself. It's one of the major reasons I like speech and debate, and stayed in it -- not that I've contemplated quitting....more than two or three times.

I guess it goes to show that even in one of the most cut-throat environments you can find friends. That's the moral of the story, just so you know.