YMUN XLI End-of-conference Report by Odia Kane

It's that time of the year, YMUN season, where students from over 6 different countries and dozens of states come to debate the world's most pressing issues. A total of 1,600 delegates crowded the streets of New Haven with oversized placards and blue name badges that people failed to read. Hemispheres registered 26 of those delegates who've been fiercely preparing for YMUN since October. The four days at YMUN brought the warmth to January.

Thursday, January 22nd: What is Hybrid Procedure? It was a late Thursday evening when the opening ceremony of the 41st Yale Model United Nations Conference commenced. The Hemispheres students sat in the Omni hotel waiting for crisp blue folders with the coupons to overpriced products at the Yale Bookstore. Now, we were officially delegates. Aaron and Lucía led us all to the ceremony at Woolsey Hall, and this year organization seemed to be a priority to the YMUN staff. Each floor had a different body and I was placed at the top, searching for my Hemi-peers as we text each other good luck messages between the keynote speakers. At 9:00pm we all waited diligently for our chairs to march us to committee, where every delegate seemed to ask, "What on earth is hybrid procedure and why are we doing it?" The chairs confessed their unfamiliarity and entered us into lobbying period until 11:30. Two hours to create draft clauses for a resolution. Committee ended and this delegate was more confused than confident.

Friday, January 23rd: Motion to clarify Hybrid Procedure... The travelers went to Yale day and the natives went to school. The delegation of Mexico (Victor Padilla) and Kenya (Odia Kane) came in with a game plan, don't let the P5 dominate the Security Council. After a grueling 3 hour committee session, these delegates went back to the Hemispheres meeting room for food and words of wisdom. Lucía and Aaron waited for us with food and comfort, while delegates charged at them with questions (and hunger).

"What if my clauses aren't good?" "Should I speak more?""What if my chair doesn't like me as much?""Why do they call us delegates? What's a delegate?" "Why can't we wear Eastern Business Attire?"

All of these questions were answered as everyone chewed through their fears in the hopes of creating a positive lasting impression on the chairs. An hour passed, it was time to rush back to committee with more questions about hybrid procedure. After three more hours of formal debate, it was time for the Yale Showcase. Pop music, dancing, and improv. Need I say more?

MIDNIGHT CRISISWAKE UP EVERYONE IT'S TIME FOR THE MIDNIGHT CRISIS. Unless you were a delegate from Hemispheres, you were unaware of the midnight crisis. Still in our WBA, Victor and I waltzed over to the Omni at night-morning in 30 degree weather all in the name of MUN. Our fellow delegates sat in confusion and fatigue, as we craved for our beds. The chairs scattered a press release on the table regarding the kidnapping of the Chinese President and his billionaire companion in Nicaragua (what?). We spent two hours going back and forth on how to retrieve the two affluent Chinese men from drug traffickers. We never came to an agreement with the P5 members yawning veto while the President and his friend were missing. It was past our bedtime.

Saturday, January 24th: The Dreaded Delegate DanceBecause the UNSC had a midnight crisis there was no morning committee session, yay sleep, but there were more than enough committee sessions this snowy Saturday morning. Feeling better, Victor and I went back to committee prepared for our five hours of parliamentary procedure before the...Delegate Dance. Committee ended at 6:30, giving us two hours to eat and change before watching the uncoordinated delegates wiggle across the Omni hall. The photobooth captured memories, the security team made sure that they were all PG. At 11:30 everything shut down and no one was hurt (I think).

Sunday, January 25th: Awards Season Awards! Awards! It's time for awards! The superlative committee session has passed and now we were all sitting in the Omni waiting for the results. Hemispheres left YMUN with 5 award winning delegates and 26 experienced ones.

Xavier Scottle, senior at Cooperative Arts High School: Honorable Mention as The Czech Republic in UNHCRJosue Lecodet, senior at Career High School: Honorable Mention as Panama in OASGodwin Jean-Baptiste, junior at the Engineering and Science University Magnet School (ESUMS): Most Improved as Nigeria in APWAVictor Padilla, junior at Wilbur Cross High School: Most Improved Odia Kane, senior at ESUMS: Honorable Mention

Thank you all for an incredible YMUN! Please find some pictures, below (and on the website) to commemorate the weekend.

Hemispheres students (and Lucia!) post-closing ceremonies.

Hemispheres students that placed at YMUN XLI. Congratulations!

Post-YMUN pancake (and birthday cake) celebration