The clock strikes 6:45 p.m. The teams’ preparation time is over and Manolis Moschopoulos grabs his seat. Old members escort their partners, all new members, in to Room 602. The debating session is ready to begin.

“I call this house to order,” said Moschopoulos, president of the debating club. The new members scan the room. Some nibble on their pens; others flip through their notes. Their partners, familiar with the norms, sit back and face their opposition, and the first speaker is ready to take the floor.

The debating club is back in business. Voted Student Union’s Best Club of the Year for 2004-2005, the club is in its eighteenth year.

With a firm agenda for the year ahead, the members of the governing body revealed this year’s priorities.

“Our number one priority is to increase our membership,” said Moschopoulos, after the first debating session. “To show people how important it is to persuade and communicate your ideas to others. And of course, how much fun debate is.”

For the first timers, debating did not look as fun in the beginning.

But they’ll get used to it.

Loukia, a self-proclaimed microphone-lover, walked out of her first debate. “I was scared in the beginning but it was not as difficult as I thought,” she said with a smile. “The people are really welcoming and helpful. It’s a lot of fun.”

And a lot more.

“You can come to debate and have fun,” Moschopoulos said, “but it is good to be competitive and want to get better and better. And that’s what tournaments are for.”

Each year the club organizes an invitational tournament that draws more than a hundred students from Greece. This year the club will host its thirtieth consecutive tournament on November 4 and 5.

The club members also travel to European and World debate championships.

“I live for these things,” said Maria Avgitidis, who has traveled to three international tournaments.

“You get to meet people that share the same interests as you,” explained Avgitidis, who is responsible for the club’s social events. “It’s great, and we want to have many members participate in them.”

The club is planning events to raise money to send as many members as possible to the World University Championships in Dublin and European University Championships in Berlin.

“It looks great on your CV,” Maria Avgitidis said.

The Debating Club meets every Friday at 6 p.m. in Room 602 of Deree’s main building.