Post-MUN Syndrome by Gökçe SİVRİKAYA

Hello everybody! In this article, you’ll be reading up on the ‘Post-MUN Syndrome’, also known as PMS. But if you don’t know what it is, don’t worry, just keep reading.

Have you ever feel like nothing is important anymore or until the end of time you’re going to be speaking English – or in the official language of the committee- or something similar to these things, after a conference which you’ve just attended?

 

I’ve one good and one bad news.

Firstly… the bad one:

You’re going to feel all of them at the end of every conference that you attend.

And the good one:
Those feelings aren’t rare. Do not worry! Almost every MUNer feels them too. Trust me, all of us have gone through this stage.

Let me tell you my story and remind you that you’re not alone.
Next morning of the MUN conference, I usually go to the school. And here is a list of the Post MUN Syndrome symptoms which I’ve faced:

Casual Clothes

For four -or three- conference days, you’ve chosen your elegant, fashionable, elite conference clothes with considering the dress code, long before the conference. During the conference time, you wore high heels or formal shoes that make you feel strange but good. Thanks to the outfits that you carefully planned, you really feel like a professional and confident. Also, remember that you can be informed about the other participants of the conference via their outfits.

After these beautiful days with long preparations, it always makes me feel weird to go back to my jeans and sneakers which I chose in five or ten minutes. So I can hear you asking how you overcome this problem. So, let me explain. I give myself one week to adapt back into the reality. And for this one week, I choose my outfits a few days before. In this way, I can prepare my outfits more meticulously so I can still feel like a part of a special event with staying casual.

Presence

For four or three days in all of the sessions, you had to say present or present and voting. So isn’t it strange to stop saying any of these words? After an MUN conference, it is one my biggest problems to be afraid of saying present or present and voting instead of here in class while the teacher is calling the roll. Luckily I’ve never actually said it. But you have to know that it’s such a nervous moment especially if you’re a bit shy in class. So all I can say to you is remember that even you say present or present and voting it’s not a big deal. Nothing will happen. You won’t be punished for saying something wrong.

Missing Your New Friends

Okay, it wasn’t a long time to bond, I know. Also was it a place to make friends? Well, it’s open to debate. But without any exception in all of the MUN conferences which I’ve attended, I made so many beautiful friends. Even though some of them live in the same city as me, we’re not able to see each other at any time we want. So I miss them. And some of them live in different cities, so I miss them more.

But the point is this, in those conference days; you’ve been through so many things together so you really connected with each other. But your friends from outside of the conference don’t understand this. For a long time, they will keep saying that ‘you can’t make strong friendships in this short amount of time’ But it is definitely wrong. You can make good friends even in this short amount of time. But you need to think about your other friends too. Remember that they’re your friends for a long time and you don’t want to lose them.

Your Only Agenda Item MUN

I have an advice for you guys, a few days after the conference you should pay extra attention to what are you talking about. Believe me, it happens so much. Sometimes after a conference for several days, MUN is the only topic you can talk or think about. While you’re speaking you start to think about the last MUN. Even while you’re gossiping, you start to laugh with remembering the gossip box of the committee. So guys, please constrain yourself from talking about the latest conference. Because I know that it’s fun for you to be constantly talking about the MUN, it’s fun for me too. But it is definitely not fun for your friends even though they’re MUNers too.

Gökçe SİVRİKAYA

The Writer of MUNTurkey.com

gokce.sivrikaya@munturkey.com

 

Note: Cover Picture SIMUNESCO