My First Debate Tournament – A Humbling Learning Experience

Yesterday marked the first time I ever joined a debate tournament. Prior to yesterday, I didn’t really know what to expect from an actual debate tournament. Sure, I’ve been training with the team for a few weeks now but competing in an actual debate tournament was an entirely different experience.

My First Debate Tournament, Idea Lite in St. Paul College, Pasig!

As I entered the convening hall, I was surprised to see how many participants there were coming from several different schools. I couldn’t believe that this was supposedly just a minor tournament yet there were so many participants already. Everyone was either reading their books, writing down their notes or talking with their teammates.

I have to admit, I was a bit culture shocked at the start. I was really happy when the room assignments and the motion for the first round was announced. I honestly just wanted to start my first debate and get the first time jitters out.

My first debate which was THBT prisoners should be allowed to vote, went pretty well. The thrill and excitement I felt during this debate was just so amazing.

However, me and my partner were screwed over during the second round where the adjudicator, in my honest opinion was very very biased. We ended up with zero points during that round which significantly destroyed our chances of breaking.

I felt really bad after that round and didn’t even want to do the last round anymore. I couldn’t believe how we were given a zero for that debate when I we were able to present sound arguments and kill the points of the other side. The worse thing is that when we asked the adjudicator for comments after the round, all the things she said that we didn’t do were things that we did do. (by the way, the motion for this round was THBT the US should use military force in Syria)

I was really annoyed and at the same time, devastated. It really hurt deep inside for I’m a very competitive person and I really wanted to break during my first tournament. She didn’t even give us 1 point.

There was still one more round for preliminaries and I honestly didn’t want to go through it anymore because of what happened in the second round but I still did for pride. The final round’s motion was THW stop the funding of all space exploration programs. During this round, I was able to deliver my best speech and ended up with first but it didn’t really matter anymore since we got a zero during the second round.

Countless of Lessons Learned

At the end of the day, even if we didn’t break to the next rounds, I really learned a lot from this first debate tournament of mine. Things won’t always go our way but in everything we go through, there is always something to learn.

There are somethings we just can’t control. There will be times when we give our best yet it’s not enough. There will be people who are biased but we shouldn’t allow this to make or break us. Looking at it form the picture, it really is up to us what we make out of the different challenges and shortcomings we have in life.

Humbling Experience

To be fair though, thinking about it now, one day after the tournament, I could have done so much better. I am obviously still a beginner and I still have so much to learn.

It was such a humbling experience that right now, I feel really motivated to do better during my next tournament. There are so many talented debaters out there and if I want to be just as good or even better, I have to put in the work. Right now, I still have a long way to go but like they say, you have to start somewhere.

Mix of Emotions

After going through my first debate tournament, I can honestly say that debate is something I really enjoy. The mix of emotions you get during the entire duration of the debate tournament is simply amazing. One moment, you feel so scared, the next, you feel so confident. One moment, you feel so happy, the next you feel so devastated. Yet in the end, no matter the result, you always learn something after every debate! 

The thrill you get before and after every round is priceless. After everything that happened during my first debate tournament, I’m really glad that I joined the debate team.

Overall, the experience was one like no other and I can’t wait for the next tournament I join! This is definitely just the start of greater things to come!

With my partner in crime! We may not have gotten the results we wanted, but we definitely learned a lot! It was really fun teaming up with you Jason! 😀

-DOitChoco

Having Fun, Overshooting and Why Things Eventually Work Out For the Better!

It’s finally the end of another week of Senior Year. This week was honestly one of the toughest weeks I had to go through.

Several times during this week, I felt really down and unsure if what I was doing was worth it. It was really tough and stressful trying to assiduously catch up with all the lessons and also give ample time to my extra-curricular activities.

I got so caught up in my endless to do list, my college application, my school responsibilities and extra-curricular activities that I forgot the most important thing. The thing that matters most this Senior Year of mine. I forgot that Senior Year should be fun!

I was starting to become obsessed with trying to do so much that I was losing sight of my goals and my values. Everything was happening so fast that I was changing along with it. I was getting engulfed by all the requirements, deadlines, responsibilities and things that I had to do. I’m glad that the week is over and I have this chance to slow down a bit and go back to being ME.

One of the better things that happened to me this week though was my making it to the Xavier debate team that will be going to Thailand to compete in the ASWDC (Asian Schools World Debating Championship). I wasn’t initially part of the team since I was only able to attend one tryout day since I had to go to Singapore. I really wanted to be part of the team though and luckily one of the members backed out and a slot for me was opened.

I’m really excited for this event especially since it will be my first international competition where I’ll be representing my school. I may not be that good a debater yet but I will make sure that I use this month before the competition to diligently prepare myself so that I can make the most out of this experience!

The start of the week may have been a bit shaky but things really do work out for the better. Just yesterday, I finally got to meet my CAMP (College Admissions Mentors for Peers) mentor. I’m really lucky to have a guy who studied in Yale and was also a former Xaverian, as my mentor. In the 2 hours we spent chatting, I learned so much about the study abroad process and why I should give it a shot.

I wholeheartedly appreciate and support what the CAMP organization is doing!

Back to the Senior Year Grind – Living in the Present

It’s been a week since I last blogged. The past week, which I spent in a management program/seminar in Singapore was such a jam-packed week that I never really had time to just sit down and blog about all the awe-inspiring and novel experiences I had.

Right now, I’m back to the daily grind and these first two days back to school have been really tough and challenging in all aspects. During the one week I was gone, I missed out on so much things here in school. Aside from the fact that I missed out on a lot of lectures and I’m in the process of catching up right now, I also missed quite a few big events and opportunities.

First of all, I wasn’t able to attend the ECA fair and promote my committee, the Green team. I also wasn’t able to try-out for a debate tournament in Thailand. I also missed several college talks that I think are very important right now, especially since I’m a bit confused as to what the best path is for me. I honestly got quite depressed when I found out that I missed all these things because I went to Singapore.

Riding a horse — just one of the unique and novel experiences i had in SIngapore

However, as I looked back at all the novel and unique experiences I had in Singapore, I can’t help but be glad that I did go to Singapore even if I missed out on all those things. Attending the management program in Singapore, learning invaluable lessons and skills and meeting people from all over the world with such diverse stories are unparalleled experiences that mitigate all the regrets I have of skipping one week of school and missing quite a few important events.

 Everything in life has a cost. Everything in life has a positive and negative side. Sometimes, we have to weigh the consequences and look at things from a cost-benefit point of view. We can’t have everything and there will be times that we make the wrong choice. Right now, with the way things turned out, and with everything I missed out on, I’m not entirely sure if I made the right choice of going to Singapore—– only time can tell. 

Right now, I can’t worry about the past and what I missed for there’s not going back. The best thing I can do is live in the present.

I honestly miss working and spending time with these friends I met during the one week I spent in Singapore 😥

I’m honestly still feel nostalgic. All the surreal experiences I had during the Singapore Management Program last week are still sinking in. I’ll probably write about all my takeaways from my experience last week in the upcoming days, but as of now, I have to get back to form.

Senior year has only just begun. This is only the 3rd week of Senior year so I can’t lose my focus. Every single day counts. I’ve been feeling a bit stressed out with everything the past two days but I now have a renewed zeal. It’s quite amazing what sitting down, reflecting about life, looking at the bigger picture and writing about all these realizations can do. I feel a lot better right now and I’m ready for the next few days, weeks and months of Senior Year!

-DOitChoco

No Such Thing As A Wasted Moment

I was honestly a bit burned out after all the hardcore marathon review sessions for the SAT

It’s been a week since I last blogged and this past week after taking the SAT was really a chance to start exploring again, preparing for Senior Year and also taking time off to reflect. To be honest, after taking the SAT, I felt really relieved but at the same time a bit burned out after all the marathon review sessions I went through the past month just to put myself in the best position to get a good score. I really needed this week where I had to cut back on studying and I just had to slow down a bit since I was probably reaching max speed already and I wouldn’t have wanted to go overdrive yet at this stage.

The ball that showed me how round the world is…in other words, you can be on top one second, then at the very bottom the next!

Aside from having my energy at a low after the SAT, I also had to face the decision this past week whether or not to go through surgery and have my ACL reconstructed. Previously, although I was really ambivalent about going through the process, I was all set to get the surgery over with however after long talks with a few doctors and also with my parents. However, I ultimately decided not to go through with the surgery for several reasons. First of all, my growth plates were still slightly open according to an X-ray. Second, even if I went through surgery, I probably still wouldn’t be able to return to the court this senior year of mine for it takes 6-8 months of rehab before I can go back to ball sports so the hassle of going through the process was looking more and more tedious. Third, the surgery process is really complicated and there are several risks that I deemed unnecessary since either way, basketball isn’t my future career.  So with all those uncertainties and ambivalence, I think I made the right choice not go through with it for now.

Sometimes, we just need to reflect upon life….

These last few days though, I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic as I weighed my options, talked to the doctor, discussed with my parents and in the process, looked back at my basketball journey and everything I went through the past years. I couldn’t help but shed a few tears and think about the what ifs. What if I decided to spend my time on something else? What if I was more open minded and not closed up in my own small world because of basketball? I was actually ranting at my parents how I wasted my teenage years so immersed and engrossed in basketball only to end up tearing my ACL. However, this is life. You can’t have everything and sometimes, things just won’t go your way. Those years I spent playing basketball seemed like such a waste but then I realized I learned so much from the journey. It truly was a humbling experience that taught me a myriad of things about life. Like the saying goes, “It’s not about the destination; it’s about the JOURNEY!”

To honest though, I regret alienating myself from almost everything and everyone during the previous years just to focus on basketball. The past is the past though, and all I can do is learn from my mistakes and look forward. This is what I’ve been doing the past few days, looking ahead and trying to prepare myself for one hell of a ride, SENIOR YEAR.

The past few days, I’ve been contacting friends, working on projects for my Committee and Club and at the same time, reading as much books as I can. Aside from that, I also recently tried out for the Debate Team. A lot of these things I probably would be too busy to do if I was still part of the basketball team. It’s truly amazing how the saying, “When one door closes, another opens.” In my case however, I’ve come to realize that there are so much more doors out there that I can open. Maybe injuring my knee truly was a blessing in disguise from God and everything will work out in the end. Right now, I’m just thankful to God for all the blessings He has given me and hopefully, this is just the start of more amazing things to come!

There will be really high moments and there will be super low moments, but I’ve come to realized that there’s no such a thing as a wasted moment for no matter what happens, there’s always a silver lining behind it. We may not realize it in the moment itself, but as long as we believe and are open to the possibilities, things will eventually work out for the better. 

-DOitChoco