Tips to help you navigate through your First MUN conference

By: Chiara Mijares

Not too long ago, I participated in my first MUN conference. At first, I was hesitant because as a new student at school I became acutely aware of my shyness and didn’t quite know how I would fare amongst the seasoned debaters. Yet, the thought of being able to participate in a platform where one could learn about global issues whilst learning how to improve research, debating, and negotiation skills intrigued me.

Excited yet nervous at the same time, I decided to sign up for my first MUN endeavor which ended up being a great decision. Although I was nervous the whole time, I also realized that working through nervousness is part of the learning process. It does get better with time and experience.

Here are some tips to help you navigate through your first MUN conference:

1. Prepare beforehand

As with most endeavors, preparation is key to helping diminish nerves. Equipped with adequate knowledge, you will be more confident speaking.

Firstly, make sure to familiarize yourself with the conference’s Rules of Procedure which can be found on the website, in the Communications Page under Articles.

Quite a few months have passed since the pre-conference, so make sure to re-read about the country you represent and its relations with other members of the committee. It is highly essential to go over the details of the written resolutions as well as potential weaknesses in the clauses for you to effectively deliver a constructive speech defending your country’s position and develop counter-arguments.

Go over the research reports written by the chairs which can be found in the MUN locals website. These contain crucial information for the debates.

2. Relax and Observe

At the beginning of the conference, observe. Take a moment to find calmness amidst the zoom call. Chris Lim, ECOSOC Chair and five year MUN veteran, asserts that having a calm mindset before a debate is a contributing factor to one’s success in MUN. His advice for public speaking is to “relax”.

If you find that your attempts to keep your nerves at bay lead you to becoming more anxious, you may want to go the opposite way. Embrace your nerves rather than fight them.

If this is the case, don’t try to calm yourself down. Instead, accept that you are nervous, and infuse that tension to speak with greater energy. As Chris reminds us, “regardless of whether your speech goes well or not, the stakes at MUN are much lower than one expects. Based on my personal experiences the MUN community tends to elicit reactions towards the speeches that captivate the most. Therefore, even if you mess up a speech, chances are, most people in your committee will look past it. On the other hand, if your speech does go well, then it will benefit you immensely." Chris also imparts a salient reminder to make sure to “have fun” and urges delegates “to enjoy yourself and gain new insights on global issues. As long as you leave the conference with an abiding memory, that in itself, already makes the whole MUN experience worth it in one way or another.”

3. Listen to the "opponent" and dare to speak

Pay close attention to what other delegates may be saying regarding the topic at hand. You may find that though their presentation seems put together, there are vital links missing. This will allow you to find gaps in their argument and question their points substantively with P.O.I’s. Sarah Bejleri, Deputy President for HRC, encourages debaters not to be afraid to question and speak. As a new delegate, you may very well feel like you are being judged every instance you open your mouth, thus making it more difficult to speak effectively. In MUN, criticism is unavoidable. Chris suggests if you think about the rebuttals from other delegates beforehand, this will allow you to defend your resolution more convincingly. Deputy Chair of GA3 committee, Matthew Chua recommends them to “Keep in mind that there may be other first timers as well. Use this time to observe what others do and apply that to yourself. Go for it.”

It may be helpful for you to see if from another perspective:

With quite a number of speeches presented, there is a propensity for the audience to experience boredom from others monotoned speeches. Instead of worrying how you may be judged by others, dare yourself to speak. Consider delivering a position or response paper concisely. Even if you’re not 100% on what you’re going to say, courage up and say it. Furthermore, if you can project and sound like you are speaking with assertion, it will bring everything up a notch.

All in all, you must remember that your nerves will subside with experience. The more you debate, the more confident you will become. Give it time and patience. All the best to you in this MUN locals conference 2021!