(No, not like the science)Dear Forensics,
Or, should I say Speech and Debate? After all, that is your new official name after the National Football League thought it would be okay to copy right "NFL" even though the National Forensics League came first. So. Dear Speech and Debate, Remember when we first met? I was an awkward, somewhat shy, scrawny, Asian 7th grader who just happened to stumble across a poster advertising you. Who knew that would become the start of a 5 year adventure together? From that day on until my senior year of high school, we've made a lot of memories together. And I just wanted to say... Thank You For Helping Me Overcome My Fear of Public Speaking When I first met you, I wasn't necessarily terrified of public speaking, but I was far from being able to confidently get up in front of a crowd and state my opinions.... let alone enjoy it. But now, years later, I find myself writing that speaking has become a passion of mine. Thank You for Believing In Me I'll admit, my first speech was a little terrible, but you never once gave up on me. When I didn't make the cut for finals, you didn't discourage or reject me, all you did was simply provide me with more opportunities—more practices, more tournaments, and a reassurance that one day I would walk across that stage with a trophy in hand. And because of that, I never gave up on you... and I'm very glad I didn't. You Taught Me About Grit, How To Suck It Up, And How to Be Tough I remember very well the times that I stayed up until 2 AM researching legislation the day before a student congress meet, the times when I came out of a round in tears because my positions had just been attacked, and the times my face burned red in embarrassment because of the question I'd been unable to answer. But all these things helped me to become stronger, and, in hindsight, a much better speaker. Thank You For Giving Me The Best Moment of My Life Do you remember March 5th? It was a Saturday. The day of the NatQuals Tournament. Though I seemed calm and collected on the outside, I was actually kind of a mess on the inside. After a grueling 24ish hours of physically being at the tournament, 5+ hours of competing, and barely getting to eat because postings were so unpredictable... I was exhausted, and to be honest, my hopes for qualifying for Nationals were pretty low. Everyone at the tournament was incredible. When they finally announced that the awards ceremony would start, I wearily trudged into the auditorium with my equally exhausted teammates and sat down. Soon it was time for the Original Oratory finalist to go on stage, so I straightened up and walked up the wooden stairs—the sound of applause drowning out the clicking of my high heels. They started with 6th place. (Only the top 2 would qualify.) When they got to 4th place, I was about ready to step out and receive my participation ribbon. But they didn't call my name. "And 3rd place goes to..." At this point, I put on my I'm-just-happy-I-made-it-this-far smile and waited for my name. But it didn’t come. The next moment was the best out of all my 19 years of life. The announcer started, "In second place, and qualifying for the National Tournament..." And that's when the tears started. I have never ever cried tears of joy but on that small, dimly-lit stage, in front of an audience of hundreds of tired speech and debate kids, tears of joy, relief, and disbelief streamed down my face. I don't even remember getting my plaque and walking down the stage. I just remember hugging my coach, who was also crying, looking at a bunch of slightly-concerned, smiling teammates, and pegging this moment as the best. Ever. Period. My Life Would Be So Different Without You Though I got butterflies in my stomach on the morning of every tournament, and spent endless hours researching and writing speeches, it was definitely all worth it. A fellow forensics teammate of mine once told me that, "forensics was both a blessing and a curse." And I'd have to say... in many aspects, that is pretty accurate. But when I think about it, I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. I'm Sorry I Drifted From You Forgive me for the year when I only interacted with you every couple months. I was scared that I wasn't good enough—questioning if I would ever achieve my dream of qualifying for Nationals, or be able to win a congress round. I was tired of writing speeches and piling up mountains of research on Google Docs. But mostly, I just forgot how much I loved you until I realized how much I missed you. So Forensics, I thank you for everything. I'll cherish every moment we spent together. For now, it's time for you to go make some new friends. :) Sincerely, -Megan P.S I hope you know that you are terrible at starting on time. Like seriously, you need to get it together.
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About MeThanks for visiting my blog! My name is Megan, I work in Marketing and I graduated as part of Minerva's class of 2021. Enjoy a collage of reflections, poetry, and late-night thoughts. Archives
October 2023
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