Y10GE Debate Reflection

Class: Ranna   Name: Jiatong (Savanah) Wu

I still vividly remember the sound of English pouring out of my throat during the debate—the syllables colliding in the air with a charming awkwardness as my words finally broke free. It felt like I could hear my mental barriers shattering with every sentence. As a non-native speaker, I treated every pronunciation as if it were fragile porcelain, which made me feel anxious during the preparation. But as it turns out, everything has its own timing. It wasn’t until the very end—when my heart was pounding, and my cheeks grew warm—that I truly understood the significance of the experience: English could flow from my mouth in such a lively way.

I realized I was enjoying the debate, watching my thoughts unravel and break free from old constraints to create a brief utopia of reflection. All those worries and fears melted away into a gentle, flowing river as soon as I started speaking. We all need an opportunity like this immersive English debate—a chance to tear down the walls built by fear and self-doubt. For the first time, English became a true medium of expression rather than merely a subject we were required to study. I broke down that high wall, and when I looked back, I saw that it wasn’t as daunting as I had imagined. I had simply underestimated myself.