Maria Tolosa: 'Llotja Catalunya is not just a title, it is an experience that must be taken advantage of'

At just twenty-one years old and about to finish Global Governance, Economics & Legal Order at ESADE, Maria Tolosa discovered Llotja Catalunya through its Debate League, where she was the winner, and has found a space to grow academically, establish connections and share concerns with other students. In this conversation, she explains how she lived this experience and what it means to be part of a project that wants to give voice, opportunities and a community to the new generation of intellectuals in Catalonia.

How did you find out about the Llotja Catalunya project?

— I discovered it through the debate league. I had heard about it before in some talk, but in a very superficial way. When they introduced me to the debate league, that's when I really understood what Llotja was and, by participating in it, even more.

How did you experience the process of preparing for the debate league?

— Well, what we always do is prepare the lines of argument and, from there, we try to do a lot of practice debate with the same team to see where we can improve and where we can't. Our trainers help us a lot, especially in guiding us: which lines we can go down, if we are going too far with very complex lines and maybe they are not fully understood. Then, they bring us serenity and clarity. And, the truth is, although debates are usually very stressful, in this case I had a great time. I had a team of 10 and the whole preparation was very entertaining. I learned a lot both from the topic and from my colleagues.

What aspect differentiates this debate league from other experiences you have had?

— I think this debate was very interesting for me because, to begin with, it meant much more contact with universities here, in Catalonia. In my case, when I have had a debate, it has almost always been within the scope of ESADE, or, for example, at the level of Spain; maybe there was a university in Catalonia, but not many.

So, it is true that Llotja can promote this debate league and make it more competitive within Catalonia. That is what I perceived, because there were many Catalan universities. What is clear is that there is a lot of potential in Catalonia, and that is what definitely differentiates the debate league that we have now from other leagues in which I have participated.

Llotja sought to generate a space for dialogue and critical thinking rather than fostering extreme competitiveness. Did you perceive it that way?

— Yes, absolutely. I myself commented that there wasn't that much competition. I'm not a person with a hundred debate experiences, far from it. I think this has been my third or fourth debate league. So, it's not that I have a very long career, but I did see that the league gave a lot of support to those people who wanted to start.

Everything was much more… well, easy is not the word, but much more familiar, much more open. And it's true that it wasn't as competitive. When you enter leagues at a national level, there's a lot of competitiveness there, and that wasn't as noticeable here. However, inside the classroom there was still a lot of competitiveness, but once you got out, everything was much friendlier: the people were super nice and the atmosphere was very fun.

Do you know of other Llotja activities or special moments linked to the association that have left a mark on you?

— Yes, well, look, just a colleague of mine from the same debate team, before the league, attended the talk with Artur Mas. When he went there he said to me: “Wow, I don’t think I’ll ever have it so easy to participate in a talk like that”. Obviously, he enjoyed it a lot, he told me that it was super interesting.

And this reflects very well what Llotja can provide: giving experiences and sensations that other places or even the university itself cannot offer. I'm talking about these contacts, these talks that allow you to see first-hand what is really done. Because, whether we like it or not, the university is a bubble. Whether it is public or private, in the end it is still a closed space. And what happens? Well, yes, they present us with a lot of the job market, but until you talk to someone who is already inside, you can't know 100% what you like, what you don't like or what is done and what is not done.

Furthermore, speaking with Pau and other people from the organization —both from the Debate League and from Llotja in general—, they made it very clear to us that I believe is a key and very successful objective: to connect young people who are already in the job market with those who are about to enter it.

In the end, one of the biggest fears of a university student is finishing their degree and not finding a job. It is a very real fear, and even more so when you see how countries work and how everything evolves. That is why being able to talk to young people who are already working and who do what we are studying gives us a lot of peace and tranquility: it makes us feel that we are not lost, that we are doing well and that yes, by taking advantage of all the opportunities that an organization like Llotja gives us, we can go very far.

How do you imagine the future of Llotja Catalunya and what role would you like to have in it?

— Well, it's funny... I think it's a bit about following the line of what you're already doing, but consolidating a slightly more closed organization, with the partners you're starting to have, and from there expanding much more.

The potential I see in Llotja is enormous: so far we have seen a lot of debate, with a clear connection especially with the field of law; we have also had many political talks, or even meetings with journalists... Therefore, I see a lot of scope for reaching young people from many other sectors.

What can set you apart a lot is that you are not necessarily a political organization or a lobby. In the end, what you want is to help young people see what they have in the future. And that has a lot of value. I believe that in the future you can grow a lot more, have a name and an important presence, and above all expand: not always stay in the same profile or the same type of activity, but open yourself up to a lot more.

As for me within the organization, I have always said it: I am very happy to help in anything. Now I will be leaving for six months of Erasmus and it will be difficult to have an active role, but anything —looking for people, recruiting partners, collaborating in the planning, giving a hand with next year's debate league…— I am delighted. I bring a little of my experience and, as far as I can, I will always be there.

Finally, what would you say to a student who is considering becoming a member of Llotja Catalunya?

— I think that if you are considering becoming a member of Llotja, what you should keep in mind is that you need to make the most of all the experiences it offers you. Being a member gives you a title, yes, but if you don't know how to take advantage of it you won't get the most out of the experience.

The most essential thing is to meet people, talk, and not only with the speakers, but also with the other members. This will make you grow a lot, both personally and professionally.

That's why I say that being a member is not just about having a title: it's an opportunity that you have to take advantage of. And if you know how to take advantage of it and find within Llotja what you are passionate about, that's when you can really say that you have enjoyed this organization 100%.