DELEGATES FOR DUMMIES -Raissa Shrestha

                                     

Delegates, your story began with this and now

LET THE ELEVENTH RBSMUN BEGIN 

MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOUR

Disclaimer: The following stunt was carried out by a trained professional. Do not attempt this at home. 

With the countdown for the final three days having begun amongst the many tips and advices this article aims to offer, please do not pull a Tony Stark before the MUN. As confident and smart he may have been to pull that off, being prepared never hurt anyone. 

1. Research,Research,Research 

The first step is to be well versed with the topic and understand it to its depths 

Know what stance your country has regarding the topic

Gather information on countries that are your allies and countries that are against yours

This allows you to be prepare rebuttals for any statements against you as well as have the points of order rolling in .

Collect as many facts and statistics in order to strengthen your arguments especially when that one delegate always asks you to “substantiate your claims.”

2. Diplomacy 

As tempting as it may be at times, do not give in to the urge to chuck the first thing in sight at the delegate opposing your statements 

Be a patient enough to listen (attentively) and wait for the delegate to finish speaking (unless it's a point of order)

Use lobbying sessions and un-mod caucuses to your best advantage 

Be respectful towards all other delegates and dais members

3. Presentation 

One of the important aspects of debating is making yourself heard. One way is to make your presence known and the other is well to speak loudly. Loud does not equal shouting but means  that your voice needs to be loud enough to be heard by the entire committee. 

To give more impactful speeches, vary your tone and select certain words to stress on to produce effect. A quite well known example of this would be : The sentence  “ I never said she stole my money” has seven different meanings based on the word you stress on. 

Make a point to enunciate when speaking (but not to the extent Ted does). 

Dress smart (wrinkled, dirty clothes are a total no-no)

Briefly take some time to mentally prepare and phrase your ideas and thoughts before you begin your speech

This helps you leave the ums and ers at home and be concise. 

Be confident (helps you get away with bluffing (this tip is especially useful for the delegates of SC) 

 However, don’t think that you can bluff all the time and get away with it, the dais will catch you 

4. The Hidden Gems 

Even if your country is not directly related to the topic, make it relatable, make your presence felt

If you perceive your country to be as “weak”, you will end up portraying it as weak 

Offer help, aid, any form of assistance possible 

When debates get heated but they run about in circles, propose profound, practical solutions 

Sponsor resolutions 

In times of *crisis*, do not let the pressure get you and weaken your stance 

Come prepared that your country may be under attack by the committee and so be aware of  (research) all the weak points of your country as well.