Extracurricular Update / Bragging
Monday, October 16th, 2006On a lark, I decided to enter yesterday’s Maidens Debating Competition, put on by the St. Andrews Union Debating Society. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. In fact, I only learned the rules of parliamentary debate ten minutes before the competition began. To my great surprise, I somehow managed to make it to the final round–a public debate in Lower Parliament Hall on the motion “this house would ban overly skinny models from the catwalk and print ads.” I was randomly assigned to first opposition.
The whole thing was quite surreal: a formal procession, gowns, dispatch boxes, wood paneling. I felt like I was at Prime Minister’s question time. Although I was incredibly nervous, once I stood up to speak I really started to enjoy myself. For those who are wondering, I was in fact wearing my William and Mary graduation gown, complete with PBK pin (don’t worry, I didn’t wear the hat). To my even greater surprise, I ended up winning the competition and £100 in prize money. The evening ended with dinner in a lovely Indian restaurant, some traditional lewd drinking songs, a pier walk and cloister races. It was a quintessentially St. Andrews day.
In other news, I’ve dug myself even deeper into the G&S Society. Just in case being in the chorus doesn’t use up quite enough of the time I should be spending at the library, I’ll be singing a few solos and duets at the first semester concert:
I Know a youth (Robin) Ruddigore
When The Night Wind Howls
Oh Maiden Rich In Girton Law ( Capt. Fitzbattleaxe) Utopia
Oh Zara!, a tenor all singers above (Fitzbattleaxe) Utopia
Strange the views (Notary) Grand Duke
Sprites of Earth and Air (JWW) Sorcerer
Brightly Dawns our wedding day (Nanki-poo) Mikado
Ah Ruddigore…










