February 3, 2026
How Debate Can Help You in College and Beyond
Written by: Mahek Acharya When most people think about debate, they picture high school students standing behind podiums, rapidly firing off arguments and evidence. But honestly? The skills you develop through debate extend far beyond the competition circuit as they become invaluable assets that shape your success in college and throughout your professional life. Critical…
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February 3, 2026
How to Do Cuttings for Speech Events — A General Example
Written By Jason Stansell Cuttings for Speech Events is essentially taking a piece you’ve selected to perform and narrowing it down to the right scene or scenes. Typically, it falls more into the Interpretation side of things; however, these skills can also serve a competitor in Informative and Limited Prep events as well. Usually, though…
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January 20, 2026
Debate Resources for Beginners
By Sherry Lin Hi PDA fam, it’s Student Coach Sherry again! This week, I’m diving into something that I get asked all the time: what resources should beginners actually use to improve their Public Forum debate performance? If you’ve ever typed “how to get better at debate” into Google, you’ve probably already encountered a problem:…
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January 18, 2026
When You’re Losing the Round: A Debater’s Guide to Recovery
Written By Mahek Acharya Every debater has experienced that sinking feeling mid-round when you realize things aren’t going according to plan. Maybe you dropped a critical argument, your opponent just delivered a brutal rebuttal, or the judge’s expression tells you you’re losing them. These moments are inevitable in competitive debate, but how you respond often…
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January 15, 2026
How to Sound Confident When You Have No Idea What You’re Talking About
By Mahek Acharya A Practical Guide to Navigating Knowledge Gaps Let’s be honest: every successful person you know has, at some point, spoken authoritatively about something they barely understood. In boardrooms, interviews, presentations, and debates, the ability to project confidence despite uncertainty isn’t just useful but often essential for survival. It’s about managing the inevitable…
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