Let's Talk About the Last MAFL

 The Last Dance 

As the year winds down more and more, I start experiencing more and more lasts. This past weekend was a big one, in my last MAFL. MAFL stands for Mid-America Forensics League and puts on eight tournaments a year throughout the midwest region. Bradley is one of MAFL's most loyal teams and we attend all eight tournaments every season. I remember my last MAFL as a freshman hosted at NIU. The tournament went fine, but what I remember most was the moment at the end celebrating the Midwest seniors who had contributed so much time and effort to the circuit. I remember being so proud of the seniors on my team and thinking that was a lifetime away. Well, I guess the lifetime has passed because I was just recognized as a senior attending my last MAFL. It was such a surreal moment, validating and wild at the same time. MAFL 8 was hosted by Illinois State this year, so we had a short drive to Bloomington early Saturday morning. 

My Performances

At MAFL 8, I competed in Duo Interpretation and Dramatic Interpretation. These were the only two events I had yet to qualify for nationals. Luckily I placed top two in both events and was able to qualify them. The qualification process for nationals is different in college than in high school because high school is determined by one district tournament, while college is determined based on your performances and placings throughout the season as a whole. 

Team Work Makes the Dream Work

BUST had a really strong showing at MAFL 8, bringing home the team sweepstakes award for collecting the most points throughout the tournament. Additionally, another great aspect of this specific MAFL, was that instead of purchasing trophies MAFL donates the money to a local charity. This year the money was donated to School Street Food Pantry, a Bloomington organization working to end food insecurity among college students. I love when tournaments include advocacy and charity opportunities in their practices. 

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

To cap off our long day of competition we stopped at Bloomington's famous Pop-Up Chicken Shop. This restaurant has been on our team's bucket list for a while, but we've never been able to make a stop. Luckily MAFL 8 provided us the perfect opportunity. I simply cannot recommend this restaurant enough! The food was beyond amazing and the service was quick and friendly. Great vibes, great atmosphere, and great food! 

Talk Soon!