The First Step

 

Debaters fall into two categories: those who debate for free laughs and those who debate for free drinks. I am neither because every time I stand up to the podium, it is with one objective in mind - to win! Unfortunately I never did, but that’s not the point. Each time I enjoyed myself thoroughly because I knew that I could always give my best and expect the best out of my opponents.

 

Throughout the year I have aimed to compete as much as possible and I managed to enter many internal and external competitions, each one more enjoyable than the last. As the year went on, I moved to the less structured and more informal debating arena known only as PMT. I found the going tough at the start (and at the end as well) but as with everything, I’ll adapt.

 

I have somehow got the reputation of being an arguer and complainer as I’m always prepared to speak out against whatever I don’t like (which is quite a lot). However, it wasn’t always like that. I remember back at the start of the year when I was but a shy, quiet, naïve first year and the whole idea of debating was foreign to me. I was never one to speak out and I always hid away from any controversy.

 

It was during Societies’ Day that I happened to come across the Lit’n’Deb stand and, like I did at most other stands that day (the ones that were free of charge), I signed my name. But there I happened to be told the time and location of the first meeting. I found myself tagging along to the meeting out of sheer curiosity. The first meeting was entitled the “Gibs’ Symposium.” Now having no idea what either of those words meant was probably for the best, for I would have been scared off early in the event.

 

As the night went on, with the scary-sounding guys in the tuxedos turning out one excellent speech after another, I stayed quiet in the corner. But then it progressed to Main Business, which was apparently some competition where first years volunteered to come from the audience, down to the podium in front of the theatre and make a speech on one of a selection of topics either pre-chosen or their own. I thought to myself: “Hmmm, if I were to talk on a motion, what would it be?” I immediately scribbled down some notes on Iraq or something. Having watched a few speakers having the nerve to go down, I was saying to myself: “I would never have the guts to speak in front of the large audience.”

 

But then, the chairperson called out for another speaker and there was a brief moment of silence. Just then, I glanced at the notes I scribbled down, glanced again at the motionless crowd, and I did something that, under normal circumstances, I would never do. I found myself raising my right arm.

 

Since then I have become a somewhat regular speaker in the house. I sometimes wonder: what if I had never signed up for Lit’n’Deb on Societies’ Day? What if I had never come along to the meeting out of sheer curiosity? What if I had never had a moment of bravery (or stupidity) and I had never raised my arm on Gibs’ Night? I would certainly not have become as obsessed with debating as I am now. I would certainly not have made the friends I have now. I would not have spent the countless hours of entertainment and had the thrills of competing in the many competitions I have entered.

 

It’s amazing how my whole future has been changed by, in particular, that one decision to hold up my hand and make the bold move of entering the debating arena. If there is one thing I have learned in my first year at college, it’s that in order to find something that you really, really like, you must be prepared to jump in the deep end, only then finding out if you can float!

 

Brian Sharkey

(1^st Science)