10 More Things I Love About Speech and Debate

At the beginning of the year, I wrote a post called "10 Things I Love About Speech and Debate." Now it's the end of the year. I have trophies, I have a huge amount of ballots, I've done parli, I've made friends. And now I'm writing a sequel. Because I can. So ha.

10. Winning Lots of Trophies

This was number ten in the original post, too. Only this time I actually have trophies. It's not as great as some people make it out to be, but it is pretty fun. They're a representation of how hard we've worked. They look pretty on the shelf. But more importantly, you can sometimes eat ice-cream out of them. I still need to do that...

9. Having Lots of Ballots

I have all of my speech ballots from this year in one folder. They're over an inch thick. If you spread them all out it looks like a rainbow. I've competed in five speech events this year, so there are a lot of colors and a lot of papers. And lots of good comments about how to improve too, but, you know, colors!

8. Becoming Friends with People I Just Debated

The heat of the round, the pressure of CX, the intense penguin analogies. With all the back and forth argumentation in the round, it's hard to imagine becoming tournament buddies with the people who just told the judge not to vote affirmative. But then you start talking after the round, and you realize the people you just debated are actually really awesome, and then you become friends.

7. Hotel Breakfasts

I know what you're thinking. Hotel breakfasts are nasty. They are. But the people you eat them with are not. Staying at the same hotel as your friends is pretty much the best. You're all downstairs, in the lobby, eating undercooked waffles and weird banana-blueberry muffins, counting down to the weather, and basically trying not to fall asleep in our chairs.

6.  Nice Judges

The ones who cry in your speeches. The ones who give you awesome critique. The ones who rank you first. The ones who smile and nod and are attentive. They're the greatest and I just want to hug them and shake their hands and thank them for being so awesome. 

5.  Getting People to Watch My Rounds

I always do better when people come to watch my speeches. Sometimes I have to drag people in (I mean that literally), but it's always worth it to get them to watch it. Also, I like watching other people's speeches. On Youtube. I'm totally not a stalker. I swear. I mean, it's not like I ever sit outside people's competition rooms and listen to their speeches. Ever.

4. Speech and Debate Camp

After the shock of seeing all my tournament friends wearing normal clothing, I always have an amazing time at camp. The lectures, the meals, the candy getting sling-shotted at us from across the room. It's all pretty great. But best of all, I get to see my friends who I usually only see during tournament season.

3. Tournaments

This one is pretty broad, but it needs to be said. Tournaments themselves are really awesome. The exhaustion, the stress, the excitement, the fun. All of it. It wouldn't be a tournament without all the ups and downs, the wait for meals, the inside jokes and, you know, the competition.

2. Debate Jokes

Whether it's resolution puns or postings, debate jokes way less funny than we think they are. If someone says, 'that's debatable', we all (or at least I) start laughing, even if it's fake laughter. And whenever they mention HI and we all break out into feigned laughter. Everyone who hates that joke needs to find their sense of humor.

1. My Awesome CHSADK Friends

My friends are pretty amazing. Whether it's speech, debate, or just being themselves, they're all fantastic, and I'm super lucky to have such awesome people in my life. The inside jokes, weird games we play, excited greetings, awkward side-hugs. The excitement and disappointment during breaks and the awards ceremony. Even if I just met them in a debate round, I love you guys. <3

Vote affirmative, because you love speech and debate too. (Because why would you read to the end of the post if you didn't?) Plus, also, it's my birthday- just so you know.