Zi'ang Huang: Spelled "Debate," Pronounced "Youth"
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Ni Ke: The Days with Regrets Are My Beautiful Youthful Memories
 |  British Parliamentary |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  Public Forum | |
Junior World Schools Debate |  |  | |
 Lincoln-Douglas |  | Public Speaking | |
British Parliamentary
Public Forum
Junior World Schools Debate
Lincoln-Douglas
Public Speaking
The DLC debate challenges have helped me grow tremendously and become a better version of myself. In the past, I was too afraid to express my views in unfamiliar environments, and I had a severe stutter. However, as my debate experience grew, I became more confident in speaking and learned to overcome my nervousness.
Furthermore, debate taught me that there are no absolute rights or wrongs in the world, just as there are no absolutely correct answers to a debate topic. It cultivated my critical thinking, helping me avoid hastily defining things in life and instead view them from different perspectives. Most importantly, debate has honed my willpower and resilience. There are no standard answers in debate, only the expression of diverse opinions. It is a competition of minds where even a strong, seasoned debater can be defeated by a novice. It's just like life: giving your all doesn't guarantee success, but without effort, success is impossible. Therefore, when faced with setbacks, we must accept them calmly, adjust our methods, and strive again.
I participated in my first NHSDLC challenge in May 2020, and was immediately captivated by the charm of critical thinking and debate. After exploring British Parliamentary (BP) debate, I returned to Public Forum (PF). Through PF, I learned the ability to engage in deep learning and deep thinking. In every challenge, I learned to remain humble in victory and graceful in defeat, to accept setbacks calmly, and to grow through them!
...After participating in DLC challenges for nearly a year, I really love the atmosphere during the competitions. Regardless of how sharp or fierce the opponents are during the rounds, they are always willing to share their perspectives, evidence, and more ...Through my past debate experiences, I have learned how to construct arguments effectively, articulate my viewpoints, and approach issues from multiple perspectives.I hope to share these experiences with my fellow students, encouraging them to engage in debate,develop critical thinking,and enhance their communication skills. I believe that debate is not merely a skill—it is a way for us to express ourselves with confidence and influence others in a rapidly changing world. ...Most of the competitors here possess a high level of skill and competitiveness. It was only after joining NHSDLC that I clearly realized areas I needed to improve in debate and set concrete goals for myself. Before this, my public speaking and debating skills were quite average. However, after participating in NHSDLC, I could clearly feel a rapid improvement in my soft skills, particularly in logic and oral expression. Debate has gradually become one of my favorite hobbies. During my time participating in NHSDLC challenges, I have also met many people from different schools and cities. Communicating and cooperating with every debater has taught me things beyond debate and academics—such as how to work well with strangers, that grades don't equate to personal growth, and the importance of keeping promises. Personally, public speaking and debate have brought me a lot....I am very grateful that NHSDLC provides such a platform, not only helping students exercise their thinking and expression skills, but also giving us the opportunity to communicate with like-minded peers from all over the country. I have learned a lot from previous challenges, not just debate techniques, but also how to listen and cooperate better. These experiences have made me deeply realize that debate is not the art of 'winning,' but the art of 'understanding.
...To me, debate is not just an activity to improve expression and logical thinking; it is a process of learning to think from multiple perspectives and respect different viewpoints... I believe these abilities are crucial in one's academic career and daily life, because public speaking and debate genuinely teach us how to effectively express ourselves, think, and substantiate our views. I am very grateful for the opportunity to learn these things...I believe these abilities are crucial in one's academic career and daily life, because public speaking and debate genuinely teach us how to effectively express ourselves,think, and substantiate our views. I am very grateful for the opportunity to learn these things. 
