When I first walked into my speech/forensics class, a week into my introduction to Grady High School, my first instinct was to walk right back out! Everyone in the class seemed to be so sure of themselves- so confident, so self-assured, and knowing exactly what they were doing. And to someone who was so new to the country and school- and had no idea what was going on, it was extremely intimidating. I felt like a total misfit right away… And though I thought the teacher- Mr. Herrera- was extremely nice and helpful (he even knew how to say my name- thanks to a famous Indian author I share my name with!), I had no idea what the expectations of a competitive speech and debate class were- and frankly, I was too intimidated to even want to know!
And to add to my misery, I learnt that as a part of the class, we were required to compete in a minimum of three speech/debate tournaments per semester. To the others- who had been doing this since middle school, or at least since their freshmen year in high school, this was common place- but for an exchange student, it was just terrifying- and regardless to say, I completely freaked out! As I hesitantly approached Mr. Herrera to ask about what I really needed to do, and what was expected of me- he smiled and handed me a list of all the events I could do. As I started down the long list of big names and confusing rules that made no sense whatsoever, I realized this had done nothing to soothe my nerves, and if anything, had just added to the confusion.
Noticing the horrified look on my face, Mr. Herrera came up to me and asked if I needed to talk about it- and I gladly accepted. At the end of the two-hour long “talk”, I was actually feeling a lot better. He had suggested I do an event called ‘Original Oratory’- a basic 10min speech on a topic of my choice. Simple as it sounded though, I had no idea where or how to start! I had been told to think about what I could speak very passionately- and the only thing I could think of was ‘the unfairness of forcing an exchange student into doing something they really don’t want’!
As I was still clueless about what I was doing, and was running around trying to avoid the thoughts of helplessness and clueless ness everyday, I started dreading the days I had the debate class, knowing fully well that I wasn’t ready for what needed to be done- since all we did in the class was to prepare for competition. However, I soon realized that shirking my work wasn’t doing me any good, and I was just putting off the inevitable- and that my best bet would be to get on the act as soon as possible- after all, I told myself, I had nothing to lose!
So I did get on the act- I did what Mr. Herrera told me to- and started writing a speech on a topic I decided I felt very strongly about- altruism. It took me a couple of weeks to hand in my first draft, and I was very nervous doing so- not knowing how people would react to it. But as I walked down the hall that day, a senior on the team- Ramika (who also does the same event)- came up to me and said had chanced upon my draft when she was in Mr. Herrera’s room, and she loved it! It was just one of those moments you wish you could hold on to forever….
But soon enough, it was time for my first tournament. As it had only been a day since I finished writing the complete speech, I was told I could read off my script. As we started for the tournament, I realized this was what I had been avoiding for the past three months- and somehow- it just didn’t seem all that bad anymore. As I went from round to round, I felt myself feeling more and more at ease- until finally- I decided I was actually enjoying myself! By the end of the next day, I was feeling so much a part of the team already- and although I didn’t do very well (and didn’t ‘break’ to the final round)- cheering for my team members at the awards ceremony gave me a high of unimaginable proportions. And I realized, that for the first time in the last three months, I had been ‘myself’ both days- and had enjoyed every moment of it!
Little was I to know, that this was the beginning of a great romance- with competitive speech and debate, and more importantly, my debate team. As I went to my next two required tournaments for the semester- both in remote Georgia districts- I found myself falling in love with the very feeling of being a part of a team- staying back after school for practice, sharing inside jokes, pepping each other up before rounds, hogging food like nobody’s business, spending hours on end talking about our one common passion- speech and debate; and, most importantly, having real ‘friends’ for the first time since I landed in Atlanta.
And all along, without even realizing it, I started gaining more and more success with each tournament, and by the end of the semester, I had even managed a first place at a tournament!
One of the peaks of this relationship was when I got to travel to the University of New Mexico on my birthday in early January this year. By now, all my best friends were on the debate team, and spending my special day with all my favorite people- including my wonderful coach- was just the most wonderful thing I could have hoped for! And the beautiful snow, the delicious Mexican dinner and the extra special hugs were just an icing on the cake (quite literally)!
But the best moment yet, is still fresh in my mind like it was just yesterday- just a few weeks ago, I qualified for NFL (National Forensics League) Nationals in Original Oratory- an extremely prestigious honor. And just when I thought the feeling couldn’t be topped, just a couple of weekends ago- I placed first at the state tournament- and the feeling of being state champion for Georgia is still something that I’m coming to terms with… But amongst it all, I think the moment that really stands out for me, is when all my competitors came up to me later, gave me hugs, and told me that if there was someone who really deserved everything- it was me. Regardless to say, I was overwhelmed by the love and belief everyone seemed to have in me. I decided one couldn’t get any luckier- and that is a moment that’ll stay with me forever. And ever.
And now, as I sit here and think, I realize the debate team has given me much more than those numerous certificates and trophies. It has given me much more than colleagues, teammates and competitors. It has given me much more than a coach for speech and debate…
In the trophies and certificates- its given me the ability to believe in myself- to believe I can do the seemingly impossible, to believe I can be the best- Its helped my self-worth go up several notches. In the teammates and competitors- its given me friends for life- people who genuinely know me, understand me, accept me and love me for who I really am- people who are genuinely happy for my success, because they’re the ones who’ve helped shape it. In my debate coach- Its given me my friend, philosopher, guide- my confidante and my harshest critic- A person who takes fatherly pride in each of my achievements, and who wants me to be the best I can be, and more importantly, the happiest I can be. Someone who’s seen me evolve from day one on the exchange program, and probably the one who knows and understands me best of all.
But above all, being a part of the team has given me my own niche- my own unique identity. In the world of blurring faces and images- it’s given me my own world- a world where I’m accepted, respected and loved. A world where I do not have to conform to feel a part of the crowd, a world where I can be me.Now, my world is the long unending after school practices, the wonderful feeling of letting my guard down and being myself, of assuring smiles and warm hugs, of protective glances and heart-to-heart talks, of loud music and crazy dancing, of giggling until the jaws hurt, of giving and feeling the love, but most of all, of being a part of a family- my debate family…
A few weeks ago, as I talked to my coach and told him how many wonderful things the debate team means to me, he said, “It was just one of those strange things that happened- you being put into that class- its not common for exchange students to be put into any kind of such advanced competitive classes. But I guess, it was all for the better…” And I couldn’t agree more.
And to think, the first thing I wanted to do was run away from it!
