BRONX, NEW YORK — [Note: The Big Bronx is one of the most competitive high school tournaments on the national circuit, with some of the toughest teams from all over the country. Hong Mei was awarded the second place speaker award at the tournament. --Editor.]

The tournament started with tub issues. My tub did not break or get stolen; we just had logistical issues with transporting it to the Greyhound bus station, if you were wondering.

Traveling to a national tournament is one of the most bizarre experiences of my life, not to mention that it is in the Big Apple, New York.

On October 13th, BUDL traveled to the Big Bronx XXXVI tournament in Bronx, New York. We got out of school that day to experience the ultimate debating experience for this early stage into the season, with the first BCFL held a week ago. Seven teams representing the Baltimore City College, Baltimore Freedom Academy, Carver Vocational High, Forest Park High School, and Patterson High School boarded the Greyhound at 7:20 A.M. in the morning, not knowing what awaits them at the end of the bus ride.

When we arrived in New York City, we had to take the New York subway to get to the high school located in the Bronx. Having our tubs of evidence and luggage, it could be considered as the work out before the tournament. Once we arrived, everyone as if on cue, launched into the non-stop prepping for the tournament. All you hear is, “ what should I run against ABC?” or “ Do you have any evidence that links to XYZ?” it was an amusing sight as the excitement of the trip diffused with the adrenaline and intensity of the tournament.

The tournament consisted of five preliminary rounds, two on Friday, and the last three on Saturday. The home stay experience that the tournament had provided really made me feel as if the debate community was a big extended family. No matter where you went, there was someone to talk to you about stock issues and possibly why fiat is imaginary (if you happened to have lost your previous round on that and would like to vent). It went beyond the structural argumentation of human agency and brought me into the real human agency of the debate community making me realize how important it is to network with the other debaters.

Also, the whole experience really broke down the preconceived notions of what national tournament is like. All lot of people had provided me with different interpretations of what it is like, and from the general consensus, it was rather strenuous and unpleasant.

True enough, this national circuit tournament was not easy, but I registered with an open mind and debated with the same. I tried to not get too caught up with the hyper-competitiveness and remain focused on soaking up the process, not the product of the tournament. Furthermore, with a supportive crew and travel comrades like that of BUDL, it is just hard to not have fun while prepping for the Salmon AFF.

The idea behind traveling on the national circuit tournament was really about being a better debater, if that’s what this experience taught me. The measure of this success, however, is not with the high rankings or the awards at the end. It was the building of character and not to forget, the shift in attitude toward handling the situations, fast reading debaters, and the dirty laundry that awaits me the next morning.

I LOVE DEBATE!!!