As a freshman who first entered the world of MUN, I was completely confused at how a conference works. Unmoderated caucuses especially confused me. I had no idea how to do well or stand out in a room full of students talking. These are tips for new MUN students.

What is an unmoderated caucus?

Also known as an “unmod,” it is an informal form of negotiating with other delegates. It helps you build bonds and alliances with those in your committee. Once you form groups, you can prepare your resolution during unmods.

Preparing for an unmod

You should research before the conference who your allies are in terms of countries. This can be related to trade partners or countries similar in philosophies.

Also, you should know your country stance extremely well. Often, delegates first ask you what your country believes about the topic.

Tips during an unmod

You should start off by understanding your fellow delegates. There are three types each of whom you should approach differently. There are the extremely passionate delegates, who you should talk to about specific policies. There are those who are interested who know somewhat well about the topic. You should mix in casual conversation while talking about the issue. Finally, there are those who are not willing to participate, who you should start by talking about casual things and slowly ease your way into the committee topic.

You should also focus on having a confident aura as a first impression. Throughout the conference you can be seen as reliable to others and more people will be willing to partner with you. You can have a stronger alliance and form more thorough resolution papers.