Written by Jason Stansell

We’re all aware that Speech and Debate can help someone speak up in the classroom, the courtroom, on the political podium, on the advocate’s podium. But not all of us are headed in that direction in life. Coach Mahek has already covered a handful of careers that Speech and Debate can benefit, as well as some of the everyday skills you learn via Speech and Debate, so I am here to tell you about a handful of ways that it can help outside of employment.

Careers as a Whole

Okay, I said “outside of employment”, which is true, but I will start with pointing out that Speech and Debate does give you the confidence in job interviews, in team conversations, to be a leader and a collaborator in whatever your career may be. Even if you decide you just want to work in fast food for a living. Do you have any idea how obnoxious some customers can be, yelling at a cashier because they got one extra fry (yes, this is from personal experience)? Or a manager chewing you out for not also doing the tasks that her three favorite employees were assigned? Being able to stay calm in situations that would try anyone else’s patience is a phenomenal ability. There is not a single career in which Speech and Debate will not give you an upperhand. Now, let’s move on to how Speech and Debate will help you otherwise.

Advocacy

Advocacy is a big one. Advocacy is speaking publicly about things that matter to you, whether on the national stage for something you believe in, or just arguing in front of your local school board that they shouldn’t be giving themselves a raise while the district is in a budget deficit and is underperforming. Even advocating for a promotion for yourself at work counts. There are a lot of opportunities for you to make change in the world, even if just on a small stage. From inequality to potholes, your voice can make a difference.

Emergencies

In Speech and Debate, you get experienced with not only the pressures of stress, but of situations beyond your control. This typically means that you are someone that can be counted on in an emergency. That’s not to say that you’ll know everything about first aid, or can fill in as a medic; but it does mean that you can handle being the person to grab the fire extinguisher or first aid kit, make the call to 911, direct others to safety. You’re a level-headed leader, and in emergencies, those are heavily needed. As Mr. Rogers used to say, “Look for the helpers.”

At the Grocery

We’ve all been shopping. It’s difficult enough to try to find all of the ingredients you need, without triggering anyone’s allergies or texture issues, avoiding foods certain family members don’t like, avoiding other foods that they can’t have due to doctor’s orders, etc. …all while trying to not have the same three meals every day. However, your experience with researching, case writing or speech writing, memorization, spotting specific things within text — greatly benefit this grind. Add to this, you’re confident enough to speak to an employee if you notice that they appear to be out of the squash you need for stew, or the specific tampons that you’re running low on at home. I’ve seen people too scared to even ask an employee, who minutes later was restocking the specific item for which that person was looking.

At the Park

Whether dealing with siblings, babysitting, or your future children; kids get separated from their caregiver while at the park. Often, it’s still supervised, such as you sitting on a bench while watching them play, other times, they’re off hiding because they think it’s funny, or maybe they legitimately didn’t realize that they got separated. You’re not only able to stay calm, but you’re able to project your voice to make certain they know where you are. On top of that, you’re experienced with multi-tasking. As such, you’re able to watch Little Jimmy on the slide, while Little Maggie is on the swings, and Baby Alex is making friends in the sandbox with another toddler. It’s not as easy as it sounds, but you have strengthened the skills needed to do exactly that.

Playing Video Games

Surprised? Don’t be. Many video games require a lot of brain power and creative thinking. On top of that, there are games that require you to work with others online and coordinate. Speech and Debate assists in all of these skills.

School

Of course, who can forget school. All the skills you learn in Speech and Debate will help you advocate for yourself in school, as well as be confident answering questions, analyzing text, figuring out answers about things that you may not fully understand, etc. These skills are beneficial in just about every way possible in school.

There are so many opportunities that Speech and Debate helps with in your everyday life that I cannot list them all here. So, I ask you, where do you think you can apply these skills in your life? Don’t be afraid to explore the possibilities as you grow in your skills. After all, life happens.