Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable
Trea Li is stepping into her senior year at Yerba Buena High School with something many people spend years searching for - a sense of where she belongs. As a SVUDL student, she's found it in a Speech and Debate room, surrounded by teammates who feel like family.
At her final Impromptu Speech tournament during the 2026 SVUDL Championship, that belonging crystallized into a moment she'll carry with her long after graduation. "I was touched to see my opponents, many younger than me, already show so much improvement," she reflects. "Watching their progress reminds me of where I started, and it gives me joy to know that we've all positively affected each other to keep growing in our own journeys."
As a sophomore, Trea was quietly worried about her lack of extracurriculars when her great aunt offered a piece of advice that changed everything. "She emphasized how oral skills were crucial — not just academically, but for every aspect of life. That's how I found myself inside my school's Speech and Debate room, ready to try something new even if it was slightly nerve-racking." The risk paid off beyond anything she'd anticipated. "Not only did I improve my speaking skills as I set out to do, but I also made lifelong friendships."
What pleasantly surprised her most was the powerful sense of community. "When I first discovered this safe space, I was surprised by how underground it seemed, because it was a whole elaborate society I didn't know about before," she says. "We're pretty small, but also tight-knit." The rituals are unmistakably their own: downing soy sauce packets after tournaments, sending seniors off with scavenger hunts, and conversations that swing freely from silly gossip to heartfelt life advice. "Just learning more about each other through each meeting in our Speech and Debate room is something I'll cherish forever."
She says her team consists of the most passionate and supportive people she knows. When Trea won her first award at her second Impromptu Speech tournament, "they all erupted into cheers and I could still hear them from the front of the room," she recalls with a smile. Her competitors have been equally generous. "After each speech, we'd compliment each other's performances, and the intimidating wall of an opponent crumbled. SVUDL is a place where you can find so many talented people in just one room, meet role models, and build new connections."
That spirit of pushing past fear has a name in Trea's world, and it came from the person who helped shape her most. Her advisor, Ms. La, handed her a phrase that became a personal north star: get comfortable with being uncomfortable. It sounds simple, but Trea has lived it. "Every time my legs shake when I first start speaking, or when my brain blanks during a sentence, I push through it and come out stronger," she says. "I will be reminded of my SVUDL journey every time I face a challenge, and I will push myself to try new things that intrigue me, even if I'm terrified at first."
It's a mindset she'll be carrying with her this fall when Trea heads to UC Berkeley to study Materials Science and Engineering. Whether it's collaborating with peers on sustainability research or performing in dance and music, the confidence she found in that small, tight-knit Speech and Debate room will stay with her as her next chapter unfolds.
