Academic Decathlon—one of the most intimidating-sounding clubs in NPHS. What exactly does it entail? As a veteran member, what has been my experience? And, importantly, should you join? (spoiler alert: yes!)

The water-themed 2022 competition, recently attended on March 6, was extraordinarily successful for the NPHS club; gold, silver, and bronze metals were acquired by multiple members. As a senior member of Academic Decathlon who has gained ten total medals in my two years of attendance, I can offer some opinions and advice—but feel free to take them with a grain of salt!

NPHS’s club meets once or twice a week, starting in the first few months of the school year, with increasing frequency as the March competition draws closer. These meetings run from 40 minutes to an hour and usually consist of discussions about the material or rotating “lectures” by students who know certain sections well. They are never stressful and always fun.

However, studying the material for Academic Decathlon is another beast. Each of the seven academic topics—Math, Social Science, Science, Art, Economics, Music, and Literature—come with packets averaging 100 or more pages, each packed with material to memorize that corresponds with the year’s theme. And there are also non-studying sections.

What is the best method to study?

This depends on the individual: some may like just reading while others find it difficult to focus and prefer taking notes. I recommend reading through the packets throughout the year, spreading them out, while highlighting the main points in each paragraph. As the competition nears, it is beneficial to go through the material at least one more time but preferably more, taking the time as you read to catalog the information in your brain and memorize it. This is the method I followed, but I only focused on a few sections (e.g. Social Science and Art) that I felt I had the best chance of medaling in. For some sections, I employed an additional strategy, like doing practice problems for Math. It is difficult to do very well in all of the sections but comparatively easier to do well in a smaller number of sections. Know your limits, but do not underestimate yourself either!

Okay, but what about the non-studying sections?

Interview, Speech, and Essay are loved by some and hated by others! For the first, it is necessary to practice answering interview questions. Secondly, speech is broken up into impromptu speech and memorized speech. For the former, it is crucial to practice planning out and reciting an on-the-spot speech on a random topic within the time parameters, and for the latter, a straightforward process can be followed of writing your own speech ahead of time (preferably a few months in advance), revising it, and practicing it until your mannerisms and inflections are perfect. Finally, studying Literature and Social Science in-depth is generally the best method for tackling Essay because one or the other almost always shows up as a possible prompt. These are, roughly, the steps I followed, although I did quite a few things last-minute.

Why should I join?

If you, like me, are an individual who loves learning for the sake of knowledge, Academic Decathlon is the club for you. First, it teaches you how to learn—how to tackle large amounts of material and pace yourself over a year. This is a crucial skill that will follow you throughout college and work. Furthermore, you are exposed to numerous interesting topics in a variety of fields and will feel much more knowledgeable in the world. I love navigating the Internet and recognizing art or history conversations that I can contribute to, information that Academic Decathlon taught me.

Additionally, speech and interview exercise your “people” muscles—your ability to speak fluently and present ideas, which I have seen improve in my day-to-day life due to this club.

There must be cons, right?

The cons come down to opportunity cost. Academic Decathlon is definitely a big time commitment, and if you are less academically-minded, it may not be your favorite place to hang out. Depending on your future goals, you may find another activity more enriching.

I truly enjoyed my experience in this club, and I believe it can be helpful to almost everyone. So, take a risk and join. What do you have to lose?