The cold surface of the wooden desk strangely brought a sense of calmness to me as I waited for my turn to speak fitfully. I was scheduled to be the second speaker of the first debate in a Debate Camp at my school. Through the window beside me, rays of sunlight shot cheerfully into the room. The warmth with which the light shone served as an antithesis of the coldness of my skin. As I fidgeted nervously in my seat, butterflies in my stomach proved my unease and lack of confidence. Listening to the potent speeches of the two first speakers, a sinking feeling appeared in my chest. Their confidence and ambition radiated in their speeches, further differentiating their courage from my cowardice. My hands began to shake as the traditional Public Forum crossfire between the two speakers came to an end. It was my turn soon.
Numerous pairs of eyes focused on me as I silently took my place at the podium, hands shaking rebelliously. With a feeling of dread, I imagined the audience snickering at my incompetence when I end my speech in four minutes. Although common sense screamed at me that nobody is perfect the first time he or she attempts to do anything, my illogical side told me that I would be faced with contempt, disappointment, and scorn. For a moment, the room became deadly silent. I felt like a fish on land, gasping because I couldn’t breathe. My lack of confidence was amplified by my mental mantra, over and over again telling myself that I will not be able to complete the speech. From the corner of my eye, I saw some students and teachers frown at how long it was taking me to begin my speech. Their actions only served to magnify my already extreme nervousness. The tension in the room was palpable. My head was feeling dangerously light and I knew I was close to giving up and excusing myself from the room. However, in the midst of my mental breakdown, a voice suddenly called out to me.
With startled eyes, I looked up to see the smiling face of my partner, or first speaker, whose name I still did not yet remember. He asked me in a soothing voice, “Can I start the timer for you?” He then proceeded to gesture at his phone with an encouraging smile. I was shocked and had to stop and look at him for several seconds. We were barely more acquainted than strangers, yet he was still willing to help me! After my initial astonishment, however, the relief I felt at that moment was so intense that my legs nearly gave out. Suddenly, I felt confidence magically return to me, so I quickly gave him a firm nod, while returning a smile of my own. All my doubts vanished as my speech flowed out of me so surprisingly fluent. I did not notice my teachers and peers’ approving gazes, which my partner later told me about, nor did I notice how quick time passed. Four minutes, which seemed like an eon to me just a few minutes ago, now seemed like a few seconds. The warmth of the paper I used to take notes on now seemed to reflect my heated excitement.

As my first speech came to an end, I surprised myself by noticing the firmness of my voice when I finished my last sentence. I then walked back to my seat, feeling satisfied with my first speech. It was nothing like what I feared would happen. When I settled comfortably back into my seat, my partner looked at me ecstatically and gave me a thumbs-up. I returned the gesture and grinned broadly. I suddenly felt invincible.

The debate finally came near an end when the Grand crossfire was over. Through only this debate, I felt that I matured as a person and gained precious experience. The sound of pens writing tirelessly on legal pads that once made me nervous, now encouraged me to do better in debate. The amount of confidence I gained through one debate is unbelievable, but I am sure that it will serve me well throughout life. I was the last speaker of the entire debate. After I confidently marched to the podium, my mouth seemed to move on its own as firm words flowed out with ease. Not only did I conclude the debate in my Final Focus, but I also proved to the audience and myself that I am capable and confident. Although seemingly small, life changing experiences may often start out as insignificant events. Through these events, people will gradually mature into better and more knowledgeable individuals.