Inhaling in through her nose and out through her mouth, she closes her eyes and reopens them slowly. This is it. It was up to her to win it. Devyn began to ferociously tear apart everything the opposing team had prepared for in their debate case and felt a twitch of victory in her palms.
Q: Why is debate important to you or in general and what drew you to it?
A: Debate is important to me because it’s really the only place that I can channel my creativity, and it’s my passion. I’ve always been interested in politics and arguing about them, and I like public speaking. It’s the only thing I’m really good at.
Q: How long have you been in debate and what are some lessons that you have learned?
A: I’ve been in debate for about two and a half years. In that time, I’ve learned to not be shy and to stand up for what I believe in, and not just in government policy, but in life in general.
Q: What are the best parts of being in debate?
A: You get to make great friends, which tend to be quite sarcastic. I love how you are able to hear different points of views and get in on what is going on about government policies. I enjoy the opportunity of crushing my opponents dreams when in a round.
Q: Can you describe the tournaments that you have been to and the atmosphere of them?
A: Well, my first tournament was very scary, but my partner and I ended up going all the way to quarter finals, so I just fell in love with debate after that. I am always nervous in rounds, especially when it’s a hard , but I get calm towards the end once we get into the rebuttals.
Q: What are some misconceptions about debate and what would like others to know?
A: I feel like people think debate is super boring but once you get into the round and you’re actually doing it, it gets so much better. I think people should know that it’s not boring, but it isn’t easy either. People don’t have to have any qualifications in order to join and it took me a while to fully grasp the concept, and I think I still learn stuff everyday.
