Research, Resos, and Relationships: Stepping into the World of THIMUN

By Jina Song

Grab your blazers, write your resolutions, and break into those dress shoes! Whether THIMUN 2025 is your first conference or last, it is a place for each delegate to explore. As THIMUN is the world’s largest and oldest Model UN conference, its sheer size might initially be intimidating. With veteran and new delegates in a single room, you might be bombarded by pointed POIs and opposing speeches. Your voice might falter at first. Your placard might stay glued to the table. Nonetheless, connecting with the people behind the rush of debate defines the conference experience.

Firstly, check out your chairs’ research reports on the official THIMUN website. Your chairs have compiled goldmines tailored to your agendas, so leverage it! Skim through organized headers to pinpoint your information. Using “Command F” to locate specific statistics or stances can speed up your viewing process.

Next, try bookmarking key resources before the conference. Firstly, credible statistical sources like Our World in Data or Statista can layer seeming expertise into your speeches or preambulary clauses. For economic information like GDP trends, the World Bank can be a solid option. Platforms like Google Scholar or JSTOR are also great for investigating specific contexts. If you’re really in need of a resolution idea? Try out the UN Draft Resolutions site for freshly printed resolution proposals.

Building friendships—or multinational alliances, either goes—is arguably one of the most special aspects of the conference experience. Try making the most of lobbying sessions; they are precious hours when you can converse freely with personal pronouns. Also, look out for an “unmoderated caucus” to hang out or buy snacks around the World Forum. With over 200 schools and countries attending, the friends you make here might just map out your next world tour. 

Friendships made in personal pronouns also transfer to the podiums. Friends often yield the floor to each other; it’s a gift of rare speech opportunities. Moving onto note-form friendships, some common trends include exchanging tic-tac-toe or adding sketches. As much as we love note-passing, let’s try to save our admins from a marathon!

At its core, THIMUN is more than just debates and resolutions; it is a chance to grow, connect, and create unforgettable memories. So step into the conference room, and embrace the THIMUN 2025 experience!