BearMUN 2025

This year, for the first time in Lycée MUN history, our very own delegates attended BearMUN 2025 at UC Berkeley, December 6-7 (yes, I am aware, and the jokes did get old).

The trip began with a 7-and-a-half-hour bus ride up to the Bay area on Friday. We arrived at the hotel and were given free rein to explore the area for dinner. I think one thing we underestimated other than the length of the trip was how cold it would be. As Angelinos, a lot of us don’t even own coats to begin with, but the fog and the nice chill honestly made the experience more enjoyable to me as someone who yearns for real seasons.

 Berkeley also did not disappoint in terms of food, with an abundance of restaurants and coffee shops to explore. I think I honestly had at least one different kind of tea each day because there was so much variety.

The food was great, but at the core, the actual conference was obviously the best part of the trip. Our 13 delegates participated in a wide range of committees, from the threat of bankruptcy at the Abby Lee Dance Company to another Global Pandemic set in 2050, we debated around various issues and came up with solutions, representing different countries or figures.

Lycée's BearMUN Team. Photo provided by author.

My committee was Ad Hoc, meaning I did not have a background guide and was given all of 20 minutes to do research on my committee topic on Biowarfare and a new Pandemic. Although mostly very serious, General Assembly MUN has its moments. To decide who would present their topics first, we voted on a singing competition, and as the U.S., of course I had to propose they sing “Cabinet Battle #1” from Hamilton. And of course, the one time my teachers walk into the room there’s a dance battle happening to “Soda Pop” from K-Pop Demon Hunters. But in the end, our resolution to fight the Pandemic passed. I learned a lot, not only about Biowarfare, but about putting yourself out there in fast paced debate.

On the last day there was a student-led tour available to any interested highschoolers, so I, along with some fellow kids, participated. Our guides led us around campus, making a point to walk backwards the entire time. We walked around campus seeing the famous bell tower, avoiding the sigils, and some even rolling down “4.0 hill” to bring good luck to their GPAs.  We discussed Berkeley’s programs, rivalry with Stanford, clubs, and dining halls, returning just in time for the award ceremony. Although I already know I will not be attending Berkeley in the Fall, the tour was still enlightening, and I hope the experience further inspired my classmates to apply.

Photos of UC Berkley Campus. Photos provided by author.

Of course, our supervisor, Mr. Brack, made sure to remind us that awards don’t define us, because everyone learned something new and gained new skills regardless of whether they won or not. 6 Lycée students won awards, and we are so proud of them, but the highlight of the ceremony might have been hearing Jay-Z, Beyonce, Joe Biden, and Charli Damelio winning awards.

The trip was a bonding experience- especially since we got back to school at 2am on Monday (and some of us had a bac blanc that morning...). But from 9pm pancakes on a Sunday night to intense debate on how to escape Roblox, BearMUN is a conference we will never forget! Thank you to everyone who came and who made it possible, including not only our shining delegates, but also our supervisors Mr. Brack and Mme Bour, as well as Mr. Hernandez for driving us there on the bus!