When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Woodlands debate led the way in a new technological age of extracurriculars.
Brendan Lin @WoodsClubs | December 8, 2020
Unlike most pursuits popular among the academically inclined, debate requires neither physical implements nor stiff, formal attire. Indeed, the 2018 Woodlands In-House tournament was won by a team clothed solely in pyjamas. (One half of that team, Nyla Syed, is now co-president of the club.)
These factors make debate almost uniquely situated for the limitations of social distancing. Back in the halcyon days of April 2020, when physical gatherings became impossible, Woodlands Debate moved onto Discord, a platform that was ideal for the club’s purposes because of its combination of messaging and voice channels.
Discord’s appeal as a versatile and customizable platform has prompted many other clubs to make the move. Although some competitive extracurriculars have found themselves struggling to adapt to the pandemic, the debate community has moved almost fully onto Discord, with the occasional videoconference over the now-ubiquitous Zoom. Virtual meetings consist of a streamed lesson taught by a club executive, followed by practice rounds facilitated by specialized voice channels.
The move online doesn’t come without its drawbacks, though. The appeal of tournaments has always been more than just the exercise in logical and rhetorical engagement; for many, it has meant bussing for hours to distant campuses, wandering around cities late at night, and, of course, consuming the staple foods of pizza and bubble tea. Explaining the subtleties of social justice to the indifferent glow of a laptop just, in the vernacular, hits different.
On the other hand, online tournaments have drastically reduced very real barriers. One recent university-run tournament required $15 and an internet connection. Last year, that very same tournament had a $75 fee, even before factoring in the cost and inconvenience of transportation and overnight accommodations. Other tournaments can now be attended at the previously unthinkably low price of free.
Online tournaments have also allowed for extraordinary flexibility in the demographic diversity of participants. Tournaments now have anywhere from 32 to over 400 participants, ranging from sixth graders to seniors on the other side of the continent. They can also be local in scale, such as this year’s Woodlands Open tournament, which will take place later in the year. (To learn more, join the club server at discord.gg/kV2aDSDBsD and stay tuned for the results on Woodstock.)
While distancing measures have been necessary to combat a raging pandemic, they have fortunately not contained the infectiousness of ideas that allow us to imagine the world more complexly. For those looking for a new pastime to take up during these sedentary times, you just might find a virtually ideal one on Fridays in the Woodlands Debate Discord server.
**This is the 2nd article in The Woodlands Woodstock Returns**
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