What would you do if you won NATIONALS?!

[GFan]

So I wanted to bring this forum back to life and I had a really interesting scenario play in my head.. so everyone, pretend (if you aren't already) an underclassman, who will still participate in forensics AFTER Nationals.

What if you won NATIONALS in your own event this summer?

Would you continue that same event? Would you change it at nats(a la Karen Joshi, Anthony Francomacaro)?

Do you think the pressure would be higher for you with each performance at any meet (local, regional, state, National, etc.) because people would expect a lot from the "HI Champion" or the "Oratory Champion?" Would you compete less because of that -- since you wouldn't want others to think that you shouldn't have won, or even stop competing at all since the trophies at local meets just aren't as good as your national championship one?

Would you rely on "just being a national champ" to help get you through to break rounds? Would that help? Would you be seen as a normal competitor anymore?

So much stress comes from winning, me thinks (if you're not a senior).

What would YOU do?! :o

I'm curious to see the answers, especially from competitors I know who happen to be juniors this year and are going to Nationals.

[MPHS_IE_Hoke]

I honestly have no clue what I would do.

It's like for the tournament Blue Key. After winning DI this past year, I really don't know if I wanna do DI at Blue Key next year cause of the pressure to do well again. But I really don't know what I would do if I won nationals.

[brandonbatham]

If anyone wins Nationals in Extemp, they should get a custom-made solid gold extemp cart with their name engraved on it. That would be EPIC.

[Tyfanman]

I think I would change the even. For me personally that would mean I've done well enough in that event so why try again. If you dont win it will just dissapoint. So I would probably do a different event.

[iluvrascalflatts]

If I won Nats in anything I would cry, scream, laugh, scream, brag to my now-ex-duo partner (JK:D), freak out...
Then I would get online and to a bookstore and frantically try to find a follow-up piece that would be just as good.... which would be stressful...

[tyrif138]

Explode...

[Interp<3]

Hrm... Well, I would try something diffrent I think. It's like, you already won the biggest tournament in the nation, so... you should try something new!

Oh, and if I won, I think my heart would stop beating. I wouldn't be able to move. Or, I just wouldn't realize I'd just won nationals, and it wouldn't hit me until like, the ride back to the hotel, when I would start FREAKING out.

[dlewis2032]

Well i know that feeling.

I am Davante Lewis i won Dec at NCFL last year. The pressure was definitely on me from peers,family, and my school. Since i couldn't coompete in Dec. I made OO my top event this year. I didnt even break. Everyone assumed that because i won last year i was supposed to break. They Pressure is really on you. I felt this whole year that i had to do 10 times better.

[Interp<3]

Well i know that feeling.

I am Davante Lewis i won Dec at NCFL last year. The pressure was definitely on me from peers,family, and my school. Since i couldn't coompete in Dec. I made OO my top event this year. I didnt even break. Everyone assumed that because i won last year i was supposed to break. They Pressure is really on you. I felt this whole year that i had to do 10 times better.

I don't even know you, but I'm sure you're an amazing OO'er. Don't feel pressure, I'm sure tons of people have a large amount of respect for you, you won nationals for god sakes! I know I have tons of respect for anyone who even breaks at nationals, let alone WIN the entire thing!

[SageShadows]

Depends on what I'd win in.
If I won in my argumentative, I'd immediately switch to extemp and never do the debate again.
Same the other way around.

[timwoodswp]

Hahaha, winning Nationals? That would be the day.

Personally, I would try and go about it normally. I don't think many of the people I see in Forensics wouldn't care all too much, until I got to State level. I would definitely feel a lot more pressure, and I don't know if I could live up to it. But I would definitely keep doing humor. Fo sho. :cool:

[MicahBaier]

If I won Nationals for congress, I would cry like there was no tomorow. I would get my hair dyed by Lisa Miller and the rest of the competing team, cuz it is a tradition (she would choose like hot pink, red, or blonde). Then for the next year I would compete in the opposite part of the event, meaning house or senate. I really would not care If I won or not because I, in this fantasy, I have already done it once. Although twice would be nice. Quite frankly, I love my event, but If I were to compete in another event It would either be IX or DUO. But I love the people I compete with so I probably would not ever switch events, I'd just try again.

[cshrecengost]

omg what if Adam bouchareb or Greta besser decided that they should quit after winning. THAT WOULD BE HORRIBLE!! well for all but their competitors i guess.

[allgiants20]

I honestly don't know how people on the NFL awards stage even stay composed. They just won the most prominent, most important, most talked-about tournament of the year! How are they not jumping up and down?

[RachelJayx3]

If I won, my eyes would probably bulge out of my head and i'd grin while keeping my mouth shut.

Afterwords..... I'd just continue and try to make sure I can compare up next year. pressure pressure pressure

[speachmeatisdelicious]

:)well...for me, this is a matter of what i DID do when I won nationals, rather than what i WOULD do if i won nationals. It was an incredible moment of both joy, and euphoric disbelief. As the announcement was made, my heart racing, and as soon as I heard my name called, the tears began to flow like niagra falls, and I started hopping in the air uncontrollably. As I tried not to make a fool out of myself, and be as classy as possible, I quickly calmed down, and thought about the uncertain future of next years season. As I though about it, my uncertainty turned to cerntainty, as I now feel confident that I will defend my title next year.

[yoyoyo]

If I won nationals, I wouldn't be able to do forensics next year, because i would be ON THE FLOOR DEAD. Actually, today, I was bored in math so instead of paying attention, I went through a fantasy of winning Harvard in my head... yes, I'm a bit of a loser. But seriously, I would probably be sobbing uncontrollably if I ever won nationals.. if I even broke to finals at nationals, probably.

[batman930]

If I won nationals, I wouldn't be able to do forensics next year, because i would be ON THE FLOOR DEAD. Actually, today, I was bored in math so instead of paying attention, I went through a fantasy of winning Harvard in my head... yes, I'm a bit of a loser. But seriously, I would probably be sobbing uncontrollably if I ever won nationals.. if I even broke to finals at nationals, probably.

Oh dear... I've gotta say that the wait leading up to those finals postings is ridiculously stressful. Seeing my number on the posting was the most insanely exciting moment ever. It's truly indescribable. If you ever have the right combination of luck and skill that it takes to get there (my opinion of course) just take the moment in hahaha

[IainGabriel]

I'd go to DISNEYLAND!

[CManning]

Well, first of all I would probably pee my pants. Second, I would start to feel the pressure. Having done well at tournaments in the past, I felt obligated to do well, and I can only imagine what it would be like if I won nationals. Nothing is guaranteed, even for a national champion.

[lightgreen22]

I would go buy myself a nice bottle of perfume to wear to nationals because I deserve it for working so hard :)

[I'm awkward!]

Oof. If only! Haha, that's never going to happen.
I'd definitely quit International Extemp. I might try Domestic, since I should know more about it... but I'm not sure.

I'd be quite tempted to do an Interp binder event. I've always wanted to do theatre, but at my current school I am way too intimidated to try. Once I move to my new school, though, I have a fresh start and I'm hoping to try! I'm less scared of strangers than of some people at my current school :P

[k3l5h10s]

freak out!!!!!!! start laughing, crying, screaming all at once. (yes, i am crazy. no, its not an issue) probably i'd then show up in coach's classroom and say ok. NOW can we do more difficult comps. and compete more frequently?

[remiss]

I probably wouldn't win. Ever. I don't have enough natural talent... but if I did... I'd start hugging my trophy. I think they're some of the coolest I've seen.

[Amacisconfused]

****... Ian stole my answer.

[mrod]

Well i would Probbaly be doing the same event but to be honest i wouldnt try to kill myself to win everything lol beacuse thats how you create stress for your self and it beocomes a point where debate isnt fun any more lol but I do duo Now and i qualed for Nats and if we won the duo champinship i would go crazy lol and the next year i would do the same event.:)

[DavidSSabb94]

If I overthink it, it probably won't happen. It's a goal in my mind, but I'm not going to set out an elaborate plan of what I'll do.

[prosergal]

If I were still competing I know exactly what I would have done:

eaten a congratulatory slice of pie, taken some time away from Forensics, and a few weeks before the next season started I would have found a few piece selections for the event I hypothetically won (Prose), for I love it!

[yhsinterp]

I was talking with my speech captain about this topic today and we said if we were to win nats, we were seriously DGAF in life and just constantly carry the nats trophy around. Example: Me: (Walk into a job interview holding nats trophy) "Hi, I'm here for a job interview." Boss: "YOU'RE HIRED!"