Rohan Thakur (12) recalls getting his first bid to qualify him for the Tournament of Champions debate competition in his senior year and experiencing the joy of achieving such a huge goal after years of work and dedication.

“[The bid] was definitely the culmination of a long process of hardship,” Rohan said. “I had gotten really close a lot of times in past competitions, so finally getting a bid was a really proud moment for me.”

Rohan was first introduced to debate in eighth grade, and he quickly found his passion for Lincoln Douglas debates because it allowed him to explore different viewpoints on a variety of global issues. According to Rohan, Lincoln Douglas helped him appreciate every perspective of the topic he was given and using that to form an argument.

“I’ve really enjoyed the specifics of Lincoln Douglas because you get to go really deep on all the different perspectives on political issues,” Rohan said. “The ability to consider logical perspectives has been very useful to me, and it’s important to understand both sides of an issue rather than coming into something with an opinion.”

Rohan also enjoys the fast-paced nature of Lincoln Douglas debates which allows him to express all of his ideas quickly, an opportunity not given by other formats of debate. Naturally outgoing and a quick thinker, Rohan values communicating with others and making sure all his ideas are heard.

“In Lincoln Douglas, relative to other formats like Public Forum, you go as fast as you can and speak as fast as you can,” Rohan said. “That really spoke to me because I have a lot of thoughts, and I like being able to share as much as possible. In debate, when you have such a limited time, it’s really valuable to get as much out as you can.”

Rohan uses his in-depth way of thinking gained from debate to express himself in several other activities, serving as the co-president of Future Problem Solvers (FPS) and a member of the Honor Council. In Honor Council, Rohan enjoys facing the different challenges in editing the Honor Code and Student Handbook and overcoming them by communicating and considering every point of view.

“Whenever [the Honor Council] makes big changes or adds something new, we don’t really have a framework or a starting point to go with,” Rohan said. “By chatting with a lot of people and getting their different perspectives, we make a final product that is the result of everyone putting their heads together and thinking about what the best way to present honor is.”

Rohan credits his successes in debate, Honor Council and FPS to his openness to trying new things. According to Rohan, this attitude has also helped him open up to his friends and other people.

“I’m interested in whatever I’m interested in, and that’s what led me to all the different activities that I do,” Rohan said. “It’s led me to small hobbies like playing squash a lot, and it has also helped me connect with people and be more free and open when talking to others.”

Business and Entrepreneurship teacher Samuel Lepler recalls Rohan’s presence in his Advanced Placement (AP) Economics class during his sophomore year, noting his ability to make insightful discoveries that go beyond the obvious answer to a question.

“Rohan immediately rose to the top in my class, and he struck me as remarkably mature,” Lepler said. “He’d figure out a lot of times the underlying concept of a lesson before I even [taught] it.”

Close friends Zach Clark (12) and Michael Tran (12) acknowledge Rohan’s wholesome and considerate nature throughout their years together. According to Michael, Rohan brings his energy into every interaction while still excelling in all his activities.

“Rohan always brightens up the room, he likes to joke around,” Michael said. “He’s always there cracking jokes and entertaining people. But he’s also one of the most dedicated people that I know and is excellent at everything he does.”

Zach also observes Rohan’s ability to do good for his community, even if it presents itself in small acts of kindness.

“Rohan’s always looking out to make other people’s days better,” Zach said. “For example, whenever he finds a piece of trash that’s out of the way, he’ll go pick it up because he knows that someone down the line is going to have to to grab it, and he doesn’t want them to have a worse day.”

For Rohan, his most cherished memories come not from academic achievements but from his experiences hanging out with his friends, either in school or traveling to competitions. Whether it’s exploring his surroundings while traveling to a debate tournament or staying up late chatting about nonsense, Rohan values every little fun moment he experiences with his friends.

“It’s the small moments that make up the bulk of why I love the activities I do so much,” Rohan said. “I will never forget things like going to Torchy’s Tacos and moments where the team is talking about how the day went and not talking about debate at all.”