In college, almost every tour guide tells you all the different ways to get involved on campus. Some common answers that I am sure practically everyone has heard is student council, intramural sports, school newspaper, applying to be an RA or an orientation leader, and the list goes on and on. However, the best club I have enjoyed the most so far at John Carroll University has been Model Arab League.
Basically, Model Arab League functions in the same way as Model United Nations (MUN), but only with the 22 member Arab states. As in MUN, the main purpose is to analyze problems facing the state your team is representing and drafting resolutions to be voted on by the rest of the council. Every year, I get to compete for John Carroll at the regional conference at Miami of Ohio in February and the national conference at Georgetown in April. Last year, I represented Egypt on the Council of Environmental Affairs and I was terrified. I had done my research and was all ready to debate about what the Arab League needs to focus on to help protect the environment. However, I was not used to public speaking in a room full of other university students I had never met. For the first day of the conference, I was a nervous wreck, but after observing the other teams on the council, I realised that everyone was nervous and that the best speakers knew how to portray confidence. Adopting that mindset, I was able to argue more effectively the rest of the weekend and as a result, my partner and I received the "Distinguished Delegate" award for our council.
So other than receiving this award, what exactly has being part of Model Arab League taught me? First off, it helped increase both my public speaking and writing skills. Even though I had done research about Egypt beforehand, it was evident, at least at regionals, that as long as I spoke confidently, the other delegates listened and wanted to work together on resolutions. Secondly, my writing skills have improved because resolutions need to be clear and have to be written in a specific format. Third, Model Arab League has taught me more about Arab countries, who their allies are, and what policies each state's government is trying to implement.
But the most important thing I have gained from being involved in Model Arab League is confidence. Confidence in speaking, writing, debating, compromising, and networking; confidence I never had before. Without MAL, my first year at John Carroll University would certainly not have been the same. Don't be afraid to join a club or organization that might not be the most popular, so take a risk try and I guarantee that over the course of the year, you will realize how much you have grown.
