Ever since I was young, I have always been very shy. While I may have made progress with it and have gotten a lot better, I still deal with daily struggles of the fear of things like getting called on in class or being in a situation where I am uncomfortable. This memory of mine may not be the most uplifting, but I feel like many people also go through this and I know that I am not the only one. Joining the debate team was one of the main reasons I am more comfortable with things such as public speaking or presenting a project in class. Being in the debate team has not only made me smarter and more informed, but has also brought me out of my shell more and made me more comfortable in social situations.

Going into freshman year, I knew I wanted to be on some sort of team or in a club. I am not the most athletic person, so I already knew sports was out of the question. Many of my friends had chosen to be in the Speech and Debate class going into high school, so I decided to do the same. I was nervous, mostly because I did not know what to expect and how it was going to be. I realized quickly that everyone was in the same situation as me and we were all in it together, I was just at a disadvantage because I already knew that I did not like talking in front of people. Being on the debate team has made me less shy and less anxious about talking in front of people because I have gotten to practice social skills and become more comfortable in front of different people.
I have been realizing how I have gotten better with public speaking and really have improved socially. There has been definite progress made since before I joined the team freshman year to now. I get emotional thinking about it because I really have come a long way. I used to not even be able to meet new friends because I was so scared of just talking to someone that I didn’t know. You have to take risks, and I know that if I have never taken the risk to join the team, I would not have gotten better socially. After each season is over, I realize how much I have grown since the start. I have been shy since I was little, so making progress is a big thing for me. I may not be 100% comfortable talking in front of people yet, but I am for sure getting there.

One person that has helped me out the most is my best friend Mike. He has been my partner at every debate tournament we have been to and he is the one person who I feel completely myself with. Mike made me more comfortable at tournaments and even in classes. He always reassures me and makes sure I am okay with the situation and helps me with anything that I need because he wants me to succeed just as much as I want to. Mike was the one person who was going through all of the debate things together because he is my partner and we have never debated with anyone else. He helps me out and helps me overcome my inner conflicts because he is around me the most in these types of situations. I really had nothing to lose, it was more of just me not wanting to be stressed out and having to present/talk in front of people.               

Overall, joining the debate team has made me open up and made me more comfortable in social situations and with public speaking. Mike and I are still partners and still plan on debating together for our high school career. He is the one person who has helped me the most and I am much more comfortable now talking in front of people than I was before. I have definitely gotten more social and less anxious about thinks that are not a big deal. I have because less anxious of a person since joining the team because I have gained crucial social skills that have really brought me out of my shell. It was hard, but I am very proud of the progress I have made already just 2 years of being on the team.