Dear debate people,
Your pay sucks. I have gone to get a real job.
Communism doesn’t pay.
Yours unfaithfully,
******
Okay, kidding. Now that I’ve got your attention, the ramble starts here.
There are two motivations for most people to coach debate.
A) Money: You sit down there to talk to a bunch of students for a few afternoons a month, and it easily brings in a comfortable sum, enough to provide a few luxurious meals for a small time investment. Plus, you’re usually more experienced and might even find bits of it fun.
.
B) Ego: You have something to prove. Perhaps your school debating career didn’t go as well as you wanted it to be – or you have some deep seated insecurity which needs you to reassure yourself about. Plus, you like the idea of power and taking control, and feeling superior to younger ones.
It was neither for me — because I’m HUMBLE, and I actually do have a lot to be humble about. It’s to the point that I’m proud of my humility (and I dont even have to discuss A -_-). I am underqualified to be a coach. I stopped debating in the summer of year five - which means that 1) My debate experience was less than the people I’m coaching. 2) I have been out of action for TWO WHOLE YEARS — rusted to the max. Furthermore, their previous coach was my previous coach, which means I didn’t have much to add (as compared to when coaching AC).
It wasn’t easy. I often had to devise some smokebomb to enable myself to leave work early (often resulting in the debate people asking me, why I don’t have work/why I can be there in the afternoon. MAGICK!!!)
Then the competitions are mofo insane nowadays with what, four motions both sides. (4×2=8 sides to prep) and with two substantive speakers, (8×2 = 16 cases!!!) what the fuck is wrong with these organisers?! They think jc students a lot of time and energy is it??? (But apparently, with the might of communism, this is the case.) Worst of all, I had to deal with quite a number of tough decision points, usually involving people. At times, I even messed up quite badly in making decisions. Other times, I stuck to what I believed was right, even against…higher advice.
So why did I do it?
1. I was bored – and needed more meaning in my two years. (Actually, on the contrary, I was very occupied trying to come up with application essays then. Funnily, time spent coaching actually helped me come up with an essay, or rather THE essay..)
2. I seem to like overloading myself, for overloading sake– its a good distraction.
3. Just because it was different. Just because. And how many people in debate had the privilege to be exposed to a distinct school of thought. Its eye-opening and a useful learning experience.
4. Because when I was deliberating over it, I was strongly criticized for it. It triggered some instinctive response, I dunno, to prove a point or something. I don’t know really. Its hard to explain.
5. I was bribed by free food then -_-
(Note what’s missing)
But for all the hours of sleep I gave up (and bottles of beer I thinked in order to drink up a case), I feel like it was all worth it. The tiring process was itself fulfilling (some part of me must be workaholic/insane). I learnt a lot from watching the debates – probably received more than I gave. In these debates, there often were epic hilarious moments from funny characters of various types (where do I even start!). I even learnt what it meant to root for a team, when I was previously usually indifferent to winning. Most importantly, I met a new group of friends, both younger and older. And I most definitely would not have all these if I just stuck within my usual old…yeah.
Looking back in a stream of consciousness ramble: I was inexplicably happy when two of the teams broke first and second for a prelims. Most angry at a certain semi-finals. A few post-competition smses meant a lot to me, especially when in my fatigued sleep-deprived state. My most favorite team was the one with the fusion format. I really liked my Call Sign for my debate shirt. I felt most awkward at a certain finals =x And my least favorite competition was NAMED AFTER A GREEK GOD (他媽的!!) _|_. Oh, and I like prawn aglio, astons (DOUBLE), scones, mangoes, the purple tie etc etc.
I most certainly had a great time. I truly appreciate the rather unexpected opportunity that I got to help out where I could. I think that up to a point, it was really the people that kept me going — which is why I say I don’t want to deal with the j1s: they’re not part of the bunch I started off with. I wished I had a bit more time till the season ended (which would have been the case if everything went according to MY plan i.e. start work in June). And I definitely wished that I could have done more, that I could have been more capable and impactful, and simply done a better job.
I also should have told the people who went off to netherlands a week ago — but hey, it just didn’t feel right to spoil the festive tea party mood then. I spent a fair bit of the night waiting for the right moment, and the bulk of the time just being plain wtf in the head.
The arrangement is that: I can help out with prep from the comfort of my home and internet, depending on how busy I am. And I’ll come by here and there, when my schedule permits – and depending on who’s involved =P I’ll be mainly damn packed till this summer.
I wish you all the best for the remaining competitions, and more importantly — everything after that. Because while debate might be an essential part of one’s intellectual journey, there is so much more to life than debate, competitions, and petty allegiances.
Take care.
***
Wanted to end off by copying and pasting an excerpt of my essay, but realised that each and every paragraph contained politically incorrect/offensive material (What possessed me to write this to a SCHOOL, omg). Lets just say that the title of the essay is the same as this post, and its first line?
I sat on the wrong side of a debate final…










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