Scenarios and Reality

You know, debate sounds so much easier than it is. There are a few things in life that sounds incredibly smart and makes you feel incredibly stupid. Debate is one of them... education (especially college level maths and sciences) is another. How can these things make me feel so dumb while making me sound so smart?
I seem to always walk away thinking I have so many incredible ideas in my head, but when I try to express them and make use of them, they stumble out like a jumped puzzle... with missing pieces. Yet, once I've determined I am the dumbest person alive, I find myself in a real life situation outside of school, outside debate that require the very subjects that I struggle in, I excel fantastically. When I think that I am a fool and would never win a debate, I manage to convince a person not to throw God or Creationism to the wind so quickly and that it actually has a fighting place in science - using not only debate, but science and mathematical properties. Or when I fumble with my words, I can write. I can write fairly well and put all my thoughts into words.
I guess my point is, school, debate, education. They are all inanimate tools and imperfect scenarios that can only work if you can actually navigate in real life. So if you are struggling in subjects like these, it's okay. Don't feel stupid. Making the Dean's list won't matter if you can't handle a job or working with people.

Another point I wanted to make was one of the most valuable things debate has taught me. It has taught me how to maintain self-respect and listen as I my points are absolutely torn apart and I feel humiliated. I think this is important because we can't run away whenever we mess up and someone points it out. We can't lose self-respect whenever we are torn apart. It needs to make us stronger. And not only that, sometimes the victors are jerks. So, to tie this back to my earlier point, if you are nice and godly, then you win the real life. They may have won the competition, but in real life, they won't win if they can't be nice.

Just some thoughts I wanted to get out.