Roadmap

Friday, October 28, 2011

Asking People What Events They're Doing

It's a classic conversation. Whether you're at a tournament, summer camp, English Country Line Dance, or catching up on Gmail or Facebook, if you're talking to a fellow CHSADK, someone may/may not be contractually bound to ask:

"So, what events are you doing this year?"

"Well, I'm working on this OO, but it might make a better Persuasive. I'm not sure yet. Or it could be an expos if I can come up with something good to put on boards. And then I have this duo, but I don't have anyone to do it with yet, so I may end up doing it as an OI if I can. I'm looking at this other piece that could either be an HI or a DI. I haven't decided. I'll either do apologetics or extemp, but not both, because both of them involve boxes and the thought of doing two events which require the use of a box hurts my brain. And I'll do impromptu, and I was thinking I would do regular impromptu so I had a better chance of qualifying, but I may do novice because the competition is easier. I'll do TP if I find someone to do it with or LD if not or if I change my mind and I'm thinking about doing Parli too. So yea. What about you?"

If you read all of that, I commend you. When people ask you what events you're doing and it's still early in the season, it can be hard to give a concrete answer, and hard to listen to a non-concrete one. It may be hard to give any answer, but especially a short one. You've been contemplating what speeches and debate stuff you may end up doing, and the only way to explain it without sounding (too) weird is to say exactly what's on your mind. Or risk saying something like:

"So, what events are competing in this year?"
"Oh, you know... the usual."
"...okay."

Or maybe you did decide a long time ago, and can't wait to tell people about your speeches and cases and future plans. That could take a long time too. You could just say something like what I say whenever someone asks me what I'm doing:

"DIHIDUOPERSUASIVEIMPROMPTUTP."
That kind of works.

Sometimes, asking peole about their speeches and stuff is just a way to have a conversation. Sometimes, people actually do care and are genuinely interested in what you have to say. It's hard to tell how you're being asked, so you have to have a good answer either way.

You're homeschooled. What's your plan?

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