Every February, thousands of delegates gather in Washington, D.C. for the North American Invitational Model United Nations (NAIMUN). Known for its high competitiveness and level of rigor, NAIMUN is indeed one of the premiere high school conferences in the entire country. This year, Princeton Day School stepped into the conference after more than two years of absence, entering packed committee rooms, well-paced debate, and an electric atmosphere that was both intense and exciting.
Dr. Yalin Du, one of the faculty chaperones who accompanied the delegation, was immediately taken by the intensity of the conference: “What struck me most was the sheer size of the conference and how international the student body was.” Yet beyond the numbers, something else stood out: “There was this genuinely warm and open atmosphere that I didn’t expect. Students who were strangers in the elevator on day one were joking around with each other by day two,” Dr. Du added.
Inside committee rooms, however, the tone quickly changed. Sophomore Helen Qi described her first impression as “big and intense.” The rooms were teeming with delegates, and the debate was fast-paced. “Everybody came prepared, and you could tell right away that people were taking it seriously,” she said. Compared to other conferences Qi attended, NAIMUN felt “much more competitive and quick,” requiring delegates to think on their feet rather than rely on prepared notes like she had previously done.
However, despite all of these pressures, the PDS delegation remained close-knit. “We were really supportive of each other,” Qi explained. “Even though we were in different committees, all of us checked in throughout the day and helped each other prepare before sessions.”
Ultimately, NAIMUN proved to be more than just a competition. Reflecting on the weekend, Dr. Du emphasized what mattered most: the empathy and camaraderie students showed with one another. While NAIMUN itself was intense and competitive, the PDS delegation prevailed in their teamwork and resilience throughout the entire conference.
