Ah, debate. This was probably my favorite memory from my years in high-school.
There was absolutely nothing like getting up at five each Saturday morning and dragging your multiple folders onto the cold bus to drive to a random high school just to stand in front of a groggy parent and tell them about foreign policy from Russia. This activity is definitely one of a kind, and while I don't wish to go back to high school, I sure do miss those pencil skirts.
As a celebration of the late nights and long weekends, here are seven things that former debater/forensicators can definitely relate to.
1. Having an over-abundance of business pants and blazers.
To this day, I still get excited to suit up and channel my inner Barney Stinson, no matter the occasion. Plus, the comfort of business pants is severely under-rated.
2. You still get way too into politics.
No matter what side of the political coin you land on, you always keep up with what's happening out there. I think deep down, we are all still afraid of losing an imaginary round because we didn't know the exact name of a document signed in Uruguay from 1902.
3. Your favorite shows include The Daily Show, Last Week Tonight, or The Late Show.
Or, honestly, probably all three.
4. You are always the one that the group picks to present the project in class.
5. You have learned to put a speech or paper together in an insane amount of time.
There have been countless times where I have had to pull something completely random out of my head and be prepared to give a speech about it in five minutes. The more I did it, the less stressful it became, and now I even love the challenge. Impromptu was my favorite event during my time in forensics.
6. You get super excited when you meet somebody else who was/is a debater.
There is just something so awesome about becoming friends with somebody who knows all about that debate life. Stories and weird jokes will never stop being traded.
7. You realize that there will never again be a bond quite like the one you and your partner had.
There was so much research, coffee, frustrations, laughs, late nights, early mornings, devastating losses, expected losses, relieving wins, surprising wins, jokes, high-fives, and countless pens, pencils, highlighters, and pieces of paper shared between the two of you. You'll never forget your amazing debate partner.
Every high-school, or even college, student should have at least some experience with debate. It teaches you so much more than just public speaking, and these are skills that you can use for the rest of your life.
