Cross-Ex

I've been making it a point to watch a bunch of debate rounds this year. Last year I watched one. It was an LD round and it changed my life, but that's not that point. I've been learning about debate and it's been an interesting experience. I've discovered something: Cross-Examination is my favorite part of debate. It definitely seems like the hardest part of a round, and therefore the most fun to watch. For once, the competitors are actually talking TO each other instead of at each other and at the judge. It's great. I'm telling you, if I ever feel like falling asleep in-round, that all goes away once Cross-Ex starts.

Here's what I like: figuring out what the debaters are thinking. Sometimes the questions are really random. Sometimes they're sneaky. Sometimes they're just ridiculous. Often I wonder what I would say. One time I saw a round in which one debater asked another what he thought about something and I realized that I didn't have an answer so I thought long and hard and have thus come up with a lengthy and clever response, so should anyone ask me that question in Cross-Ex, I'll be ready.

Cross-Ex does seem pretty hard, though. It seems hard to think that fast. It seems hard to only ask questions. It seems hard to not start arguing. It seems hard to not look at the person you're talking to. Actually, for me, that's the funniest thing about Cross-Ex. The debaters either look like they're doing a duo or they're mad at each other. I know they're supposed to look at the judge, but doesn't that get old? If you're talking to each other, shouldn't you look at each other?

You're homeschooled, and you are now open for Cross-Examination.