Posted by Bryan

So nationals starts tomorrow. You are probably on your way, like Natalie is, or have already arrived. At this point we can’t really give you any ground-breaking advice that’s going to change the course of the tournament for you. Your speeches are memorized and blocked, your cases are printed, and (hopefully) you know your negative evidence. But there is one last piece of advice we can give you.

Be yourself. Yes, this sounds like a cliche out of a Disney movie, but it’s true. Every community, whether its the NCFCA, college debate, a political party, or a 4H club, tried to exert pressure on its members to conform to a group norm. Basically, a community tried to shape people in its own image. Don’t let it. The beauty of forensics is its diversity of opinions, backgrounds, viewpoints, and beliefs.

Let your own voice, your own personality, and your own beliefs shine through your speeches and in the hall. You have something unique to offer the forensics community, and your voice should be heard by the judge and your competitors.