As the great Tennessee Williams once said, “Time is the longest distance between two places.” In January, I participated in my final Model United Nations conference at ILMUNC XXXIII. I could never have imagined that four years ago, only as a freshman in high school that I would participate in an activity such as Model UN. It was only because of the encouragement of my friends and my curiosity that got me on such an incredible, educational, and transformative journey. Participating in Model UN for the past four years has been a privilege. Model UN has taught me so many life lessons and it has helped me develop my creativity because Model UN brings a lot of diversity through delegates’ different backgrounds, genders, and ethnicities. Now as my time in high school Model UN has passed, I reflect on my experience at ILMUNC and my transformation as a delegate.

            One of the many moments that I will remember from ILMUNC XXXIII was my experience in committee. I was in a historical General Assembly called “United Nations Inaugural Session 1946”. Representing the Holy See, I had a difficult time strategizing how I was going to be present in committee. I thought to myself, “Did the Holy See even do anything in 1946 for the UN?”. The two topics for the committee were the regulation of atomic weapons and the punishment of war criminal. Despite doing research on the two topics, I was still uncertain about how any delegate would return to a country such as the Holy See. The thought of doing well was beyond me. Even worse, my friend who was supposed to serve as a double-delegation with me fell terribly sick. I was all alone with very little help. I was thinking about all of these dilemmas on the way to the conference from New York City. However, one of the few motivations that I had was that ILMUNC XXIII was my last collegiate conference that would compete in. Everything hinged on just four days. The first step I entered into committee I was overwhelmed by nerves as well as a desire to get an award. However, I felt was relaxed as well and told myself to just focus on the conference.

              By having this inner motivation, I remembered what I was taught at Best Delegate. The iconic and inspirational phrase, “The best delegate brings out the best in other delegates” came to mind. Having participated in all the programs over the past three years, starting with the Diplomat program in 2014, I have been able to take something special from each one. From the Diplomat program, I had Marie Hanewinkel as my MUN Mentor. Marie was gracious and funny- she helped realize my talent as a public speaker in Model UN. I remember how nervous I was, always stuttering during public speaking activities in the program. However, Marie helped me gain confidence to deliver strong and forceful speeches. During the Ambassador program, I had Eric Chen as my MUN Mentor. Eric, being supportive and witty, helped me gain a competitive edge as a delegate and increase my presence in committee. For this past summer, I participated in the Secretary-General program and had Lala Kumakura as my MUN Mentor. Lala’s instructive and caring nature helped me to be more of a leader and a role model to other delegates. Finally, I completed my Best Delegate tenure in the Crisis program with Caroline Rose as my MUN Mentor. Since Caroline was compassionate and welcoming,  she helped become a better Crisis delegate as well as become an overall passionate delegate for Model UN. All of the MUN Mentors that I had over the past three years have helped me and inspired me to be the person that I am today.

Rory and me at ILMUNC XXXIII

                     As I approached the end of my last high school conference at ILMUNC, I spent it the best way that I possibly could: spending time with friends and my delegation. As a senior in my school, one of my many goals has been to give back to my community, which includes my Model UN club. Over the four days at ILMUNC, I got to have a special bond with each of the members of my delegation. Since we have a small delegation, I was able to talk especially to younger members of my delegation, as many of them had not been to a collegiate conference before. With this, I was able to give some words of wisdom to instill a motivation to my fellow members. Also, I got the chance to catch up with friends, including those from Best Delegate. During my free time, I got the opportunity to talk with fellow MUN Institute Alumni Rory Britt. Rory was in the Ad-Hoc Committee of the Secretary-General. For those who don’t know, delegates who do Ad-Hoc have to apply to participate in the committee and only receive their assignment weeks before the conference starts. This past summer, I got the chance to be a delegate along with Rory in the Crisis Program at the MUN Institute. After some time apart, we were both very happy to see each other and personally, I was glad to see Rory doing so well.

              Seeing friends, such as Rory, was something special as I look back on my last Model UN conference. In only four short days, I experienced feelings and emotions that I had been feeling for the past four years as a delegate. Going to conferences, meeting new people, and engaging in stimulating debate, Model UN has become a significant part of my life. I would say without Model UN, I would not have been invested in the exciting subjects within political science and international affairs. Especially without Model UN, I wouldn’t have found Best Delegate and the MUN Institute. It may be that my time as a delegate is over for this chapter of my life but I am hopeful that I will get the chance to return in college.

Laurabeth with young girls in Kochi India during her semester abroad teaching about gender equality. She says, “Men and women have to work together in order to combat gender inequality. To learn more about steps you can take to make a difference in the lives of women today visit HeForShe.org.”

Every year on March 8th, communities around the world celebrate International Women’s Day. This global holiday recognizes the importance of gender equality, as well as the importance of empowering women of every age in all nations.

The MUN Institute works hard to align with the educational values of the United Nations – especially on issues like gender equality. Every summer, we see how important it is for young people – whether they’re female, male, or non-binary – to have access to education that will develop their understanding of global issues like sustainable development, nuclear non-proliferation, and more.

In honor of International Women’s Day we’re profiling Laurabeth Goldsmith, Best Delegate’s Director of Partnerships and a lifelong advocate for gender equality (among many other causes). Laurabeth attended Emory University and studied Political Science and Community Building and Social Change, and she was also an active leader in the Emory Model UN community, serving as Head Delegate and President. During her junior year, she embarked on the adventure of a lifetime after she won the Presidential Scholarship from Semester At Sea that enabled her to travel the world learning and teaching about gender equality. After four months traveling around 17 countries, Laurabeth had met hundreds of amazing people and had incredible experiences – but for her, the highlight of her semester was teaching gender equality, self-defense, and human rights to young people in numerous countries.

One of Laurabeth’s most significant experiences during her time abroad was teaching self-defense and human rights in Ghana, where young girls shared stories about child marriage. “I also worked with girls in South Africa who were survivors of gender-based violence, and continue to volunteer with young men and women in North East India who overcame tremendous personal gender-based discrimination in order to advocate for others.” While Laurabeth taught girls about their rights, what she learned along the way changed her life.

Laurabeth with Girl Guides in South Africa after a dialogue on gender equality and a self defense training.

After Laurabeth’s amazing experiences traveling the world to promote gender equality and human rights, she knew she wasn’t done! She joined the Best Delegate team in 2014, and has continued working to advocate for the education of young people. One of her passion projects for the past few years has been working with North East India International Model United Nations, an organization that works to “train a generation of young people with a more accurate understanding of the UN, the world, and inspire to remain passionate and committed to making a positive contribution to humanity.”

“Since 2014 I have had the great opportunity to serve as a training partner of North East India Model United Nations Conference. Every year I eagerly await the opportunity to work with young boys and girls to have a dialogue about gender inequality,” remarked Laurabeth about her time at NEIMUN. Students from all over India and the region attend NEIMUN to learn about global issues, and they walk away from the experience with changed perspectives.

Laurabeth’s SOCHUM committee at NEIMUN 2016 after completing a simulation on equal representation for women.

Delegate Vaibhavi Sharma Pathak said that working with Laurabeth at NEIMUN made her believe in new aspirations and have the confidence in herself to dream and explore new career field. “Last October, I saw NEIMUN binding the diverse people of the world in a single thread of togetherness and unity. Laurabeth made this gigantic task somewhat easier through her ideals on cross-cultural diversity. Someday, if and when I become a real diplomat, I shall look back and realize the importance of the role Laurabeth has played and the enormity of the change NEIMUN has made.”

Laurabeth has also spent the past decade volunteering with the World Association for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.Laurabeth has traveled to more than 50 countries learning about global issues such as gender equality and education.

Overall, we are so proud to have Laurabeth as part of the Best Delegate and MUN Institute teams. She is an inspiration for students and teachers around the world who wish to work hard to solve global issues like gender equality, and she serves as a shining example of diplomacy, activism, and humanitarianism to our MUN Institute campers every summer.

Interested in becoming an activist for global change like Laurabeth? Learn more about our summer programs for students ages 11-18!

Best Delegate strives to produce the best MUN-related content to help delegates at every level find the information they need.  That’s why theme for March is MUN Goes to College. We’ll be bringing you lots of content about college-level Model UN. Here are some of the articles you can expect this month:

Compilation Article

With conference recaps, committee advice, and college rankings, Best Delegate had published lots of articles about collegiate MUN over the years. This article will put all of those resources in one place, making it easier to access great information from years of college students, Best Delegate staff, and MUNI Alumni. As the month goes on, we’ll add even more college oriented content to the website.

How MUN Helps You Get a College Internship

We’ve already talked about how knowledge and skills gained from MUN can help you as a student, but now we’d like to show how those skills can help college students to get internships. Writing, public speaking, and international affairs knowledge are just some of the benefits of Model UN that employers might look for. This article will be must-read for any college delegates who are looking into internship opportunities.

Myths vs Realities: Collegiate MUN

For high school students transitioning to college MUN and college students joining MUN for the first time, there are a few myths and misconceptions that can make the process intimidating. Sometimes it’s hard to separate the facts from the fiction, so we’re here to help. We’ll be examining college-level competition and talking to some Model UN Institute Alumni about the myths they encountered when they joined the college MUN circuit.

How to Be Involved in Collegiate MUN (Besides Being a Delegate)

While the majority of collegiate MUNers spend their time as delegates, that’s not the only way to get involved. Collegiate MUN can provide a much wider range of activities than high school programs, allowing students to fill a variety of roles. Being part of the secretariat, helping to plan conferences, and working on international affairs programs outside the committee room are all great ways to immerse yourself in your college’s MUN program. 

Make sure to stay updated on this content and more throughout the month by checking the Best Delegate home page and following Best Delegate on social media.

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One of the many things that make the MUN Institute special is its wonderful alumni network. Throughout each program, students get to make new friends and experience unforgettable moments. We asked our alumni about their favorite memories while being at the MUN Institute, and were very pleased with their responses. From attempting to take over the Suez Canal during a crisis simulation to simply hanging out with fellow students, these moments have left a lasting impact on our alumni.

An alumna of ours, Maria Leon, told us a fun story about her experience at the MUN Institute two summers ago. She and her fellow campers were really looking forward to going out for ice cream off-campus after an intense MUN practice simulation. However, due to extreme rain, they weren’t able to go out. She and her friends were devastated at first because the heavy weather had ruined their night out. However, much to their surprise, their residential counselors paraded down to the dorm lounge an hour later with multiple gallons of ice cream. Instead of going out for ice cream, their MUN Mentors had brought the ice cream to them! The dorm became the stage for a perfect night-in, with blankets and pillows scattered across sofas, an ice cream buffet, and many snacks at their disposal. Students played fun games and even made up some of their own! As students gathered around with their pillows to watch a movie, the dorm lounge became a movie theatre. Although it began as a disaster, it quickly became one of the most fun nights. This was definitely one of the most memorable moments from that summer.

One of the most popular programs at the MUN Institute is the Crisis program. For many students who attend the program, it is the first time they experience crisis and initially, it can be a bit confusing. Lara Gabrie was a student at the 2016 Harvard Crisis program. When we asked her about her favorite memory, she said it was definitely the moment she finally understood crisis at its fullest. Throughout the week, she grew as a delegate and showcased her new skills at the final simulation. Not only did she gain new skills, but also she had fun learning and working with students from different backgrounds. Stories of improvement and growth are definitely some of our favorites!

Another story from one of the Crisis programs comes from Jonah Miller. He narrated a funny story that happened during a lesson at the Institute. The activity was to ask the right questions during crisis updates to learn how to get as much information as possible. To show the students the importance of getting correct information, the MUN Mentors acted out a scene. One of them played a news reporter, while the other represented the witness of an explosion at an oil refinery in the Mississippi River. However, the witness kept saying conflicting information and rambled on about his life every time he answered a question. Starstruck by the cameras and being on live television, he shouted “I’M JOHNSON JOHNSON AND I SAW A BIG EXPLOSION!”, making the students burst out laughing. Thankfully, they deciphered the key detail they needed from the witness in order to move forward with the crisis. Fun exercises like this one are common throughout the crisis programs, making many of the lessons memorable for students.

Andrew Xu, another Crisis program alumnus said that his favorite memory from the MUN Institute was the final simulation. In the final simulation, Andrew represented Abdel Galil el-Emary, the Egyptian Minister of Finance during the Suez Canal Crisis. He talked about how he took an unconventional approach to plan out his crisis arc the night before the simulation: Snapchat. The following day, he got the other Arabian countries to join the Middle East Trade Alliance and made them form a defensive pack. After that, Andrew knew he needed the support of larger nations like the United States and Great Britain in order to help his cabinet become victorious. Fortunately, Andrew was able to accomplish this and got many other countries to support his side during the simulation. He mentioned that this was achieved by applying all the knowledge he had gotten throughout that week’s crisis lessons and the guidance of his MUN Mentors.

The next memory comes from Mauricio Garcia Gojon who participated in the Crisis program in 2015. He was in the Turkish Cabinet, representing the Minister of the Interior while trying to combat the Islamic State. For him, one of the most interesting aspects of his character were all the subtopics he had to deal with. One of them was Kurdish uprisings. One of his friends, who was the Minister of Agriculture, had mentioned a fake Kurdish attack on a NATO base. However, when everybody realized that there was no attack on a NATO base, it was revealed that his friend was actually representing a Kurdish Agent. Mauricio says that, “It is important to be aware of what is going on in the committee and to investigate even those who you trust the most.” Plot twists during a crisis simulation are crucial for keeping the pace of the committee on edge and teaching students lessons, such as the one mentioned by Mauricio.

Finally, one of our sweetest responses came from Sofia Andrade, a student who went to the MUN Institute this past summer. She said:

“I think my favorite part of my summer at MUNI was definitely making incredible friends. It was the late nights where we would gather and just talk about anything that came to mind, and subsequently the early breakfasts where we would ramble just as much. Conversation were a perfect balance between randomly selected topics verging on ridiculousness and mind boggling discussions regarding any and every sociopolitical aspect of the world we live in. Because of this, my favorite part of the MUN Institute was the people. They made me laugh, they made me sing along to their songs, they made appear in their videos, but more importantly they made me feel comfortable, welcome, and happy.”

Everyone’s experience at the MUN Institute is unique, but passion for MUN, openness of mind, and willingness to have fun, guide our alumni to live equally memorable moments. We thank our students for sharing their experiences and hope to create more for summers to come.
Want to join the MUN Institute? Check out our 2017 programs!

Written by: Kristen Corlay and Alexandros Economou for Best Delegate

Quiz created by Kristen Corlay and Jonah Miller

Delegates who are just starting their Model UN careers can find themselves wondering if it will really help them in the future, or if it’s just another activity. While it’s true that most high school MUNers won’t find themselves forming resolution blocs in their future careers, there are still tons of practical benefits that Model UN can bring. Joining MUN as a freshman could easily pay off a few years down the road, when it’s time to apply for college.

Writing skills, extracurricular activities, and face-to-face interviews are critical when it comes to college admissions, and applicants can find themselves struggling to piece those skills together and present themselves as well-rounded students. Luckily, Model UN can help high school students develop their writing and speaking abilities, giving those delegates an advantage when they apply.

We asked two MUN Institute alumni about their college application experiences, and how Model UN helped them out along the way:

Daniel Gordon is an alumnus of three summer programs at the MUN Institute and a high school senior. He has served as Secretary-General for the second and third annual John Jay High School Model UN Conference in New York, which he co-founded at the end of his freshman year.

John Salchak is a high school senior from Texas who has attended the Ambassador and Secretary-General programs at the MUN Institute since beginning his MUN career as a freshman. For the last two years, he has been his club’s president, and is currently a Media Associate for Training Content on Best Delegate’s media team.

In general, what skills have you learned from MUN that helped you apply for college?

“Several modules from the Model United Nations Institute were particularly helpful with college applications,”  Daniel responded. “Understanding social dynamics and crisis strategy helps to prepare for interviews and college essays. In addition, the resolution writing modules help to create a concise and organized format for answering any questions on the applications.”

John replied that MUN-specific skills played a much smaller role in his experience. “However, if I had required interviews, the skills learned in MUN would have helped me a lot,” he told us. In addition, MUN played a role in determining what John wanted to study. “It made me realize what I wanted to go to school for! I always played around with different career ideas such as economics, but once I started MUN and learning about international relations, I knew I found what I wanted to do.”

How were MUN opportunities a factor in deciding which schools you applied to?

Best Delegate’s latest rankings place the University of Chicago, Georgetown, and Harvard at the top of the North American MUN circuit. These highly ranked schools are known for competitive teams that have gaveled at some of the world’s most prestigious conferences. With opportunities like that, it’s not surprising that these universities often attract high school delegates looking to continue with Model UN.

Both of the alumni cited existing Model UN programs as criteria for choosing which schools to consider. “I didn’t only apply to schools with MUN programs, but a majority of them do,” John said. “Being able to continue my MUN career is a priority of mine, so my top choice schools all have successful teams and/or host conferences. Throughout high school I have been responsible for my club, so it would be nice to go somewhere with an established program so I don’t have to build one from scratch.” Daniel mentioned that MUN tied in closely with academics, noting that “MUN opportunities generally reflect superb International Relations or Political Science departments.”

Did you mention MUN awards or leadership positions as part of your extracurricular experience?

Good grades and impressive test scores are certainly helpful on college applications, but colleges also want to see students take initiative beyond the classroom through extracurricular activities. Whether they’re sports, clubs, or community service, it’s always good idea to stay involved with extracurriculars. The same goes for Model UN. On top of the practical skills of writing and speaking, MUN also allows students to achieve awards and leadership positions that can help their applications stand out, because sometimes it doesn’t hurt to brag.

Daniel said that he mentioned his experience leading JJMUNC II and III in the past two years, a conference which he helped build from the ground up. John went even further with his own application.  “I filled this out, mentioned MUN, the awards I’ve won, my experience with the MUN Institute and the Best Delegate Media Team, as well as my own club’s leadership positions,” he said.

Model UN is a fun, engaging, and educational activity that can provide vital skills to students. Get started this summer with the Diplomat Program from the Model United Nations Institute!

Check out Best Delegate’s free e-book “How Model UN Can Help You Get into College”

Preparing for our first Model UN conference, we all have no clue what’s going on. We hear terms such as “decorum,” “NGOs,” and many more Model UN terms that none of us knew existed. Then come the country assignments – you get assigned a country you have never heard of, and you’re stuck talking about a complex topic that your country has barely stated anything on the topic. Even though we have a tough time at our first Model UN conference, we leave feeling a burning passion for more debate.

Casey Wang entered her first Model UN conference at GTMUN (Georgia Tech Model United Nations) as the delegate from El Salvador. The committee was the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission. Her topic was Border Disputes between India and Pakistan. Casey says, “Being there was just so incredible like learning about the different issues that you probably wouldn’t study on your own”.

Casey attended the Model United Nations Institute in Georgetown University back in 2015. While she was exploring Georgetown University, it soon came to her that she had a passion for international affairs, and she even says that going to Georgetown for the Model United Nations Institute was one of the main inspirations that made her want to major in International Relations.

In addition, going to the camp made Casey a better public speaker, and it helped her understand the basics of Model UN. Casey says just the week she was there, she was able to learn so much, and she gained a lot of confidence while public speaking. Just going there really improved her as a delegate. Casey was inspired by the phrase, “The best delegate brings out the best in others”. Not only was she able to make herself a better delegate, but Casey has also made many friends from the Model United Nations Institute.

Most recently, Casey has chaired at a college level MUN conference hosted by Georgetown University. She says that the difference between the high school and college MUN circuits is that in the high school circuit, you mostly focus on General Assemblies, while in the college circuit push crisis committees. Most college conferences have crisis committees rather than large GAs. She says that chairing a college level MUN conference actually helped her feel less intimidated by collegiate level MUN.

Last year, Casey traveled to Budapest, Hungary to compete at the Yale Model Government Europe. This was the first time Casey had ever traveled to Europe. She says being in Budapest was amazing because she experienced a different culture, and she even got to learn a lot of European history while she was in Budapest. Casey also enjoyed competing against the European delegates. Casey also has competed at HACIA democracy held in Costa Rica. It was also Casey’s first time going to Latin America. Seeing different parts of the world was very exciting for Casey, and it has helped her learn about the different cultures throughout the planet.

After attending the Model United Nations Institute, Casey says that she stills keeps in touch with her delegation (aka the Cookie MUNsters). One of Casey’s memories from her friends from MUNI was when two international students loved Cheerios, and they didn’t have Cheerios in the respective countries. Once they returned home, Casey sent them both boxes of Cheerios! Casey says that she has learned a lot from the other members of her group.

Finally, Casey says that a word of advice she has for MUNI is to make sure you make a lot of friends at Best Delegate because the friends she made at the camp are still her friends today, “…and it’s really cool because I have friends in Russia and in Switzerland…it’s really neat that BD brings in people together from different backgrounds who are into MUN.”

      When I signed up for Best Delegate’s Model United Nations Institute in 2015, I hadn’t the faintest idea what to expect. At the time, Model UN was foreign to me, a nerdy eighth grader with an odd interest in international affairs. The public middle school of my Philadelphia suburb had no Model UN team to join, so I figured that a summer program was the next best thing.

      Arriving at Georgetown University on a hot afternoon, I was excited to learn about the world of MUN. I knew nothing of parliamentary procedure, resolutions, or position papers at the time, but I knew the capital of Bolivia, and to me, that was enough. The week I spent in the Junior Diplomat program turned out to be a whirlwind, making new friends, submitting position papers at 9:57pm, and experiencing residential life with a caffeine-infused roommate. Needless to say, it was over much too soon.

      That fall, I encountered a problem. The first day of school had arrived and many teachers wanted to get to know their new students. They all asked with a slightly different phrasing each time: “What did you do this summer?”

      In my town, almost nobody had ever heard of Model UN. In fact, a majority did not know much about the real United Nations. Summers were most often spent in some combination of beach houses and theme parks, not in Georgetown dorm rooms or lecture halls full of placards. My peers could not understand why anyone would choose to spend his summer writing essays and discussing how to prevent radicalization among middle-eastern youth. When I tried to explain any of it, I was met by the same response from friends and teachers alike.

      “Model UN? What’s that?”

      Each attempt to elaborate only confused them further. After all, a middle school student like me had no business representing Pakistan in a discussion about food security, right? Why would I be in committee when I could have been relaxing at the beach? Despite their disbelief, I held my ground, shooting down any misconceptions that violated my territorial sovereignty.

      “No, we don’t work at the UN headquarters.”

      “No, I was not allowed to nuke anyone.”

      “No, I did not ‘solve’ ISIS.”

      Slowly, my friends came to understand my passion for Model UN. They knew that I was following the search for a new Secretary-General more closely than the 2016 Presidential Race. They understood that I suddenly cared much more about what “Western Business Attire” I would wear. They also began to assume that any group messages I received came from MUN Institute alumni in another country or hemisphere. Finally, I was finished with my crusade, and my friends would be confused by MUN no more. Almost.

      In the summer of 2016, when I attended the MUN Institute’s Crisis program at Harvard, and it became harder to explain how Model UN works. By the nature of crisis committees, my stories got increasingly complex and intricate. Soon, I had to explain that I had not actually ordered a drone strike on Russian forces in Ukraine and that I had not actually saved four of my fellow cabinet members from anti-government forces in Ankara. The idea of a simulated crisis (i.e. not real, fake, or any number of other synonyms I had to come up with) seemed utterly lost on my peers.

      “Why would anybody want to do that?” they would ask, wide-eyed at the idea of simulated air strikes and hypothetical assassinations.

      “Because it’s fun,” was the most genuine answer I could offer them. “And it’s not hypothetical if you use a Nerf gun.”

      My stories went on and I assumed any number of roles. Over the summer, I had become a bold leader, a cunning general, and either a war hero or war criminal, depending on which treaty you read. Maybe my friends would never quite understand the complex and nuanced world of Model United Nations. But through all of the confusion, skepticism, and laughter, there was always one reaction that stood out from the rest.

     “Hey, that sounds pretty fun. Maybe I’ll try it.”

Here’s the pep talk we wish we would’ve had at our first conference…

Nothing beats the nervousness and exhilaration of a delegate’s first MUN conference. Eyes wide, heart racing, asking a million questions… trust me, we have all felt it before. No matter how many times the experienced delegates from the your MUN team say “don’t be nervous, you’ll be fine,” we were still internally freaking out. There is a lot of advice we wish we were given before being thrown into the mass of teenagers in Western Business Attire, quickly typing away their resolution papers. This is why we decided to provide new delegates with the pep talk we all wish we would’ve had at our first conference. Enjoy!

****

Dear new delegates,

It doesn’t matter how you got here, the point is that you *are* here. You are sitting in a room full of people dressed in professional clothing, talking using strange words (caucus?), and doing over-the-top hand movements. Trust me when I tell you this: you’ll get used to it. You may be second-guessing yourself and worried about whether or not your position paper fits into the guidelines. You may be flinching at the thought of speaking in front of a hundred people.

That’s okay, we all get nervous. Just breathe.

Let me tell you a secret:

You know that delegate with the big voice you can’t help but admire with awe? He froze during his opening speech at his first conference. That girl who is always quick to find new solutions and you keep asking yourself how she comes up with those plans? She didn’t even raise her placard at all during her first year. All those delegates you see delivering a speech worthy of a standing ovation? Public speaking used to be their greatest fear. We were all awkward and we all stuttered every now and then. We may have had an embarrassing story and thought every once in a while “what is happening?”.

Advice?

I could offer you the most standard MUN advice ever: raise your placard, speak clearly, and follow parliamentary procedure. However, as someone who went completely blank the second the chair banged their gavel and opened the session, I know you will most probably forget all of that. The best advice I could ever give you is this: learn as much as you can and have fun doing it. Don’t just sit there in the committee hoping the chair won’t catch you off-guard. Try to gather as much information as you can! It’s important to pay attention to the way delegates make their speeches, build their blocs, and write their resolutions. Most importantly: have fun! Since you have the opportunity to be at a conference, make the best of it.

Model UN is not about what you are, but about what you can be. You can be a world leader, you can change the world, and you can definitely rock your first conference.

Best,

Every MUNer

PS: we’re rooting for you!