I have always thought of the debate team as this group of people who are passionate about pointless issues, and argue with people all the time... and pretend they've actually accomplished something. Not to mention, they drag around these rolling file cases, which they proudly call "geek boxes". The wheeled boxes store all of the debater's arguments and research. Well, the idea that these guys are super-dorks has just been my theory.
I had to rethink everything early this year, though, when my younger sister did the unthinkable and joined the debate team. Gasp! At first I thought my life was over. I was now related to a DDFer! This was, however, unfair of me to simply label them as "bizarre people with no connection to the real world." So I set off to find out the truth in a hidden mic investigation. I started with the most obvious person: my sister. She says those in DDF are as strange as I suspected.
"A lot of them are really kind of weird," Becky said. "They're all really political and the drama people are definitely very dramatic. So they're perfect for what they do, but very interesting people."
Becky isn't the only DDFer who confirmed my suspicions. I asked a few of them if they would classify themselves as geeks and nerds. Here are the responses:
"We're awesome geeks and nerds," Heidi said. "It's not bad to be a geek or a nerd, is it? I don't think so."
"I guess I'm a nerd," Renee said. "'Cause I love DDF."
Whether they're geeks or not, DDFers, especially debaters, are a unique group of people.
From my observations, those involved could be described as a sort of ad hoc family. Drama advisor Lisa Reed says it's true.
"They do find a place in DDF and they make a community," Reed said. "Not just through our school, but when they go together at the meets, the whole DDF group from all the schools blends together and form this really nice tight-knit unit that they find friendship in, as well as intellectual stimulations. So, it's nice for them to have."
And like a family, once you're part of it, according to Andy Hughs, it's tough to get out.
"I keep saying I'm going to quit," Andy said. "But I just can't."
And, did you know that DDF is actually considered to be a competitive sport? Sure enough, those on the team seem to agree with the category. Just ask freshman member Heidi.
"Basically just sports jocks without the sports," Heidi said. "We're mind jocks.
Junior member David B. puts it a different way:
"DDF: my anti-drug."
Perhaps what had me confused about these DDFers, was that they stay in their little clique and argue a lot about big issues. But my sister set me straight on all of that.
"They're not exactly nerds," Becky said. "Actually, a lot of the people in it are really popular and people like them a lot because they're actually informed and they're smart people. I mean, they're opinionated, yes, and they're somewhat geeky because they are so smart. But people actually really look up to them for stuff. They're the people in the honors classes and things like that."
The bizarre world of DDF
