Debate: 7th of Oct. '13

Since I am joining this week's debate competition, it is important for me to join today's debate club meeting. I have to prepare myself so that I won't embarrass myself that much in my first debate competition. Hahah! I feel so nervous for this week's debate competition because not only it is my first debate competition, it is also an impromptu debate where electronic devices are not allowed to be used during case building. What should I say! :s So in today's debate club meeting we had an impromptu debate competition with the motion “Governments are allowed to disrupt internet services on grounds of national security.” My group was the same group as for this week's debate competition, Valeska and Sherni. I was again the second speaker of my team. I feel comfortable as the second speaker so it was okay. Today was the first time I got to work together with my team. We worked quite well but I think we have to practice on listening to each other better. I also felt that we lacked information about the debate. We don't really have general knowledge about the world so at times when the opponent, which was the government side pointed out some facts we have nothing to rebut against it. We usually would just hypothesize what will happen if the motion is allowed to pass. Thus, for this week's debate competition, I really have to do a lot of research. I also feel like in today's impromptu debate I was quite unclear. My organization skill was not really good. I didn't sign post and I feel like I repeated a lot of my ideas. I often circled around my ideas. I feel like I was really nervous that I forget the things that I wanted to say (even though I had a note with me). I forget the details that could make me more aggressive in delivering my speech. Thus, for this week's debate competition, I should just relax, get prepared and let it flow.