Contributed by Lena Kellogg, Leavenworth DECA
The quest for DECA glass is long and daunting, and sometimes it can get pretty tedious.
Taking practice test after practice test, memorizing terms and doing sample role-plays over and over again, can definitely become a monotonous routine.
Here are some ideas to help spice up your normal study routine:
1. Group Role-Play Prep
Gather a group of people from your chapter who are in the same event or same cluster. Everyone goes over the role play by themselves for ten minutes then returns together to discuss their ideas. This is a great way to look at a situation in a new light and gather new techniques to use in your event!
2. Practice Role-Play in Your Competition Wear
What you are wearing affects your attitude. If you find yourself unhappy with how your practice role-plays are going, try dressing it up and wearing your power tie or best DECA outfit. This will get you into the competition mindset and help to mimic the atmosphere of an actual role-play.
Bonus: Turn it into a chapter event! Set aside an afternoon or evening for the chapter to meet in competition wear and do practice role-plays with one another.
3. Practice a Different Cluster Test
It is not uncommon to see marketing elements on a business management test or finance-based questions on a hospitality test. Instead of only practicing the test of your competition cluster, try a cluster test that is not your strong suit. This will broaden your business vocabulary and thoroughly prepare you for any question that comes your way in competition.
4. Record Yourself in Practice
If you don’t have a study buddy or practice judge for your role-play, record yourself going through your presentation. Once you have finished you can look back at how you did and fix mistakes you might not have known you were making. This technique provides flexibility to the critique process; once you have reviewed it, you can show it to your advisor and get their input as well!
5. Take a Break
Too much of a good thing is never the best thing. There is nothing wrong with taking a step back and relaxing after hard work. If you find yourself hitting a wall in improvement, instead of getting frustrated, take a couple of days to break from practicing your event! You’ll be refreshed and hungrier for that DECA glass!
