OSUMUN

This month, I volunteered with my fellow CCWA members, and put on a high school Model United Nations Conference. OSUMUN (Ohio State University Model United Nations) took place Friday, April 5th through Sunday April 7th. I served as a chair for the crisis committee title Gangs of Chicago. Not only did I learn a lot about how to run high school Model United Nations conference, but the discussion I had with other chairs and staffers of different committees gave me knowledge I wouldn’t have otherwise known.

The conference started on Friday around 6. Though the opening speech from a professor lacked some focus, it did inspire me to give the conference my all. What was really cool to me was watching high schoolers partake in a conference when I would have sat in their seats a year ago. Words can’t describe the feeling of looking at those who fill in the spots you left behind when you go on to new parts of your life. Committee the first day got intense quickly and set the stage for the next day.

The second day started at 8 am, but the provided bagels and coffee made it all worth it. Chairing a high school committee was something I was as much excited for as I was nervous. However, my nerves did not get the best of my and I enjoyed the whole experience. As the committee got more complicated with everyone working their own crisis arcs, the debate got more intense. Since it was a crisis committee, rather than a standard General Assembly, we were able to contribute more to the debate if it ever got stale. Twice, we gave the high schoolers a set amount of time to decide an issue which would completely alter the course of events in the committee. The first time, when told them a mob was outside and they had an hour to decide a new mayor among them. Both times they were pressed for time, the debate got better and we were able to see which among them really stood out as an excellent delegate. This day, I also got to experience writing crisis notes back to delegates rather than chairing. This was extremely fun for me, as I was having a real impact on the “history” the delegates were creating.

Perhaps my favorite day of committee was the last. The first couple hours were full of debate, but the last hour was much more laid back. We decided to end a little early so the high schoolers could ask question about what life was like at The Ohio State University. My time at OSU has been great so far, so getting to share reminded me of all the amazing experiences I’ve had.

For me, OSUMUN showed me a side of Model UN I hadn’t seen before. Seeing the drive and determination of high school students was a reminder as to why I first joined MUN, beyond an interest in international affairs. It was also a chance for me to reconnect with fellow CCWA members I hadn’t seen in a while. All in all, it was an extremely rewarding experience.