~LilTanuki

So I was in my first Speech and Debate tournament yesterday. I was entered for the events Improv. and Tall Tales. I was not nervous the day or even the hour before my event but the second I'm called up to preform my heart practically jumped out of my chest. I was given a slip of paper with three topics:

Passion
-some quote I forgot-
Why should standardized test be continued in Washington?

I chose the last, my first sentence was really well but then I completely blanked. Yes, that is right....I choked. It was awful, I just stood there like a deer in headlights, looking at the judge so pitifully. All I could think of was the Order of the Phoenix poster hanging on my left, as if Lord Voldemort would give me speech to give to the audience. I was pretty pathetic. My scores for that first round were a lot better than I deserved, the judge was a kind woman.

Still feeling bummed from my previous failure (and my sister's teaching didn't help much either), my confidence was low when I started Tall Tales. It went better than Improv. but not much, I didn't choke but there were moments when I stopped talking to think. My story was rushed, nor was it very entertaining. Now that I think of it, it didn't make much sense, either.

The second round I did Improv. my topics were a little easier, I lasted a tad bit longer but not long enough to make it a good speech. I rank last that round. After that I went to watch some of the Duals, they were all very good! The winners did a parody on Harry Potter, it was called Garry Trotter and He-who's-name-must-not-be-said-do-to-copyright-infringement. xD The skit made me giggle and snort, I'm sure the judges and actors were getting annoyed by my constant snickers. The two girls brought home a trophy as the first place winners for Dual Interpretations.

After watching that skit I had to go and do Tall Tales for the last time. I had more confidence than the previous times, but was a little nervous since one my teammates had decided to watch!! Even though I've known him since Kindergarden, I do not feel I knew him well enough to act like a fool infront of him. It is funny how I can let loose infront of a room full of Unknowns but the minute someone I knows enters I feel so aware of myself. My story had a smooth flow in the begining but after I actually noticed my judge's hand signals (for the time) I started worry about going over the limit and shamefully rushed the end. Well, I've never been very good at ending stories anyways. The other four tales were very impressive, it felt as if the contestants had done the event before, even though we were all novices! You can imagine my surprise when I saw that I had rank second place in that round!!

Sadly, I did not take home a trophy, but I didn't really expect to on my first tournament. On the brightside, the boy who had watched me in the last round did take one for fourth place!! My friend, and senior club president, took second place in one ofher events! For being the only novice on my team to do two events, I think I did pretty good for myself. Excited can't begin to describe how I feel about going to the tournament in December!! Next month I will be more prepared and hopefully take home a trophy!! Yeah right! I will be content ranking first or second in at least one round.