To You at Villiger

Hi there!

How are you? Probably exhausted from a day of policy, and 生无可恋地 gazing at your phone thinking how you're going to fail again tomorrow.

Cheer up!

Remember you're only a JV, and all the people you're going against are Varsities. You came here to gain experience and speaker points, winning should be on the periphery of your goals.

I by no means am trying to discourage you from doing your best, but simply because I know you, and I know that you will try to do your best in on the spot. But after a day of heavy speaking and possibly a hurting throat, I know you will doubt whether joining policy and losing all debates is what you want.

No, loosing is not what you want.

I hereby write this letter to encourage you --- now that you got a perspective on how serious policy debates work --- enjoy it!

You like policy, there's no denial.

Temporary losses and embarrassments will not last forever even though they seem to last forever. No need to feel guilty or sense of worthlessness, you are a beginner and everybody went through it just like you.

I know you will doubt your choice of joining policy or debate in general, but I must remind you of the joy you had while researching, preping and practicing, and most important of all --- making good arguments ON THE SPOT --- you don't know how amazing you ROCK!!!

Do not let temporary emotions follow you through, think and make decisions logically. And guess what? This is something that I rarely say, but I will say it this time:

I BELIEVE IN YOU!!!

I rarely make these types of comments because I usually encourage criticism so that I have the motive to go on, but that seems to only apply for science. Especially for this debate, the fact that you are going against Varsities is displaying bravery. Plus not a lot of people are watching you, your mistakes and growth are only visible to yourself as time moves along.

Remember that Chinese lesson you taught in 8th grade to HaiLing and told her to write the theme about it? The bunnies in the stories suddenly became so real and authentic, they are personified. Follow me with my powerful imagination:

A little white bunny, fur soft as snow, racing alongside the galloping horses on the vast plains, a little white dot in the middle of grassy green.

Can you believe it? That is you!!!

You are that little bunny, with so much more lessons and experiences to gain and such a future ahead of you! How brave are you, to face those varsities, words spitting out of their mouth fast as the galloping horses?

红军不怕远征难，万水千山之等闲。

五岭逶迤腾细浪，乌蒙磅礴走泥丸。

金沙水拍云崖暖，大渡桥横铁索寒。

更喜岷山千里雪，三军过后尽开颜。