MUN, or Model United Nations is a small 3-4 day conference held for students to discuss current world issues in a fashion that mimics that of the real United Nations. Each participating student is given a delegation of a country/ organization and a committee in which they will week to finding solutions to real-world problems, all the while maintaining their country’s stance on that issue.

I started MUN in grade nine, at that time being a timid and quite frankly, terrified kid thrust with the delegation of Eritrea into a committee that was 30 people strong. I went into that conference with a bundle of nerves, a horde of panic, but even with a definite pinch of excitement. In this first UWCMUN ’17 conference, I kept my mouth shut for the most part, only asking four POIs when the chairs threatened to randomly call upon anyone who hadn’t yet spoken.

Fortunately, the next conference, UWCMUN’ 18 was definitely a step up from the last one. I was handed the delegation of Somalia in the WHO committee that was tasked with finding solutions to the famine in Somalia itself. While most of my speeches were hastily scribbled down before delivery and I was always hesitant to ask any POI to the big United Kingdom delegate, I was moderately proud of my involvement and performance in the conference.

However, it wasn’t until my most recent conference, Singapore International Model United Nations (SIMUN ’18) that I felt myself being absorbed into that MUN joy and excitement that the senior delegates talk so often about. With giving impromptu speeches, POIs, and even the occasional amendment, I found myself almost giddy walking the short walk from my seat to the podium, feeling good and comfortable at commanding the attention of the room, and was even able to secure an honorable mention award.