DEBATE IS an unforgiving sport. It pushes you to your wit’s end, asking for more when you think you are already giving your all. Every ounce of passion is cast into doubt, leaving you to wonder if the exhaustion will even be worth it. Yet, after a few moments of second-guessing, you are left with seven minutes and one clear realization: every second is worth what you make of it.
When I first joined debate, I was just a curious freshman searching for a place to belong. It did not take me long to find it, especially when every corridor would echo with the speeches of my upperclassmen. Soon enough, I found myself perched on a staircase, scribbling arguments and passionately delivering them in empty classrooms. While other students went home after classes, I charged straight to debate practice—hoping that my eagerness would compensate for my lack of experience.
By the end of year one, I was certain that I had found the community where I fit in. I had exceeded the goals I had set for myself, and I was surrounded by like-minded individuals who shared my love for public speaking and formal discourse. I had come a long way from where I started, but my journey was just beginning.
Eventually, as you rack up recognition, the stakes become higher and competition intensifies. Each round feels like a proving ground, where expectations are higher and the margin for error is razor-thin.
This unexpected weight comes on top of a community that is rapidly growing and evolving. Suddenly, your batchmates are national champions, newcomers surpass milestones you once claimed as your own, and the juniors you once mentored now emerge as your toughest rivals.
The bar keeps rising, and the pressure to stay ahead becomes relentless.
In these moments, it is easy to question whether you can keep up with the rapid growth around you. Yet, a meaningful lesson I learned from my seniors, one I now pass on to my juniors, is this: as your competition grows, so do you.
Over time, I have come to realize how it is a privilege to speak in front of crowds, to be scared when your performance falters because you know how much you can still give. It is a privilege to lose, to be bested by the best in the game while knowing you are right there along with them. However, it is also a privilege to grow, to see the community become increasingly inclusive with each passing tournament.
Today, I find more joy in paying it forward than in personal achievement. I try to be more involved in the progress of my mentees, offering the supportive voice they need when they struggle to find it within themselves.
In this unforgiving sport, forgiveness sometimes has to come from within you. Forgive yourself for the shots you missed, for the contentious calls, and for those close splits. In a community defined by the competition it forges, cherish the camaraderie that propels it forward. After all, it is this shared friendship and collective struggle that makes the game all the more profound.
For this reason, remember to embrace each moment, uplift one another, and allow the journey to become your greatest reward.
OJ is a Legal Management junior expecting to graduate in 2026. Inspired by human-centric storytelling, she seeks to bridge the gap between the law and the lived experiences of individuals. By focusing on marginalized narratives, she aims to advocate for justice that resonates on a personal level.
Editor’s Note: The views and opinions expressed by the opinion writer do not necessarily state or reflect those of the publication.
