“When I first started [Speech and Debate], I struggled with competing, finding time for it [and] managing my time. I focused so much on the competition aspect and trying to win tournaments, that I kept overlooking the parts like building connections with people, [and] making friends. I would stress myself out. I started planning my time for when I could do things. Practicing more helped, because the more I practiced, the better I got in competition. It didn’t seem as scary or as hard as it was before. When I first started, the whole thing about debate is that you’re not always going to win, and there’s a lot of people that wish they were in your position just winning one time. It’s best not to focus on that, and to focus on if you’re improving from last time.” – Ryan Shabani, 11