secrets of success

Selection Process and Preparation Leads to THIMUN Success
by Bavo Stevens

The competition is tough. Sometimes there are more than a hundred applicants for twelve highly coveted delegate spots. Essays need to be written, speeches prepared, intensive research needs to be done; and all of these before we are even chosen as delegate! With that said, the conclusion is obvious: THIMUN violently gets us to feel the true numbing power of a selection process. Those long waits outside the interview rooms, the insistent clattering of stiff knees, and alternatively the way in which time leading onto the final decision seemed to creep by, are all things we became painfully aware of. After all, regarding the interview process, how can we be expected to, with a meager three minutes, explain how MUNtastic we are?
It just isn't fair. Therefore, lesson of the day: if you're here, congratulations; you've made it.
And thus begins the long, cumbersome, but rewarding preparation phase. In just a few months, we are changed from (hopefully) idealistic youths to (hopefully) idealistic delegates. As Manuel Ramos, delegate of the Dominican Republic, put it, to be successful at THIMUN, one should be interested in doing only good. But the transformation from idealist youth to idealistic delegate doesn't happen overnight. With the help of our THIMUN advisors, we master the skills that will help sharpen the dull edges of politics as we know it today.
According to many delegates, no lesson has been lost on them. Sweat, blood, and tears are put in their work, and with the help of their THIMUN advisors, they've become successful delegates through the mastery of these age old.


Lesson 1: The Art of Speaking. Eloquence in your way of speech will make you look intelligent, confident, and resolute even if you aren't intelligent, confident, or resolute. By mastering the Art of Speaking you will be able to inflame the hearts of millions to your cause. Patrick McGuire, a Chair of General Assembly Two, commented that to be successful at THIMUN one should be an excellent public speaker.
Lesson 2: Research. At THIMUN, research plays an essential since it's the foundation of all our interactions. From the delegates who need to know almost everything about their country to the chairs who need to memorize around 4,000 words of information, research is essential. Research has prevented proclamations of naval warfare by landlocked countries.
Lesson 3: Know your way around. Preparation for THIMUN often goes beyond the conference itself. Tourism is an integral part of most, if not all, delegations that travel to The Hague. For many schools, especially those outside the region, THIMUN is also an opportunity to travel around Europe. Some delegations even studied Parisian metro maps before going sightseeing.
Lesson 4: Pack Wisely. Packing is also an important part of the trip, and for some delegates, a challenging one. THIMUN advisors from tropical regions have mentioned that packing for the cold has been nearly impossible. Coats, sweaters, and thick socks were borrowed from friends or family, and most probably thoroughly washed. But otherwise, complaints about packing have been limited to socks and gloves, articles of clothing that can be easily replaced in The Hague.
It is clear that this year THIMUN delegates have been well prepared.
Furthermore, remember to practice sitting on chairs because as the World Forum Conference Center wisely announced "due to safety regulations, sitting on the stairs is forbidden at all times."