GYLS or PREPMUN😭

Hi everyone. I’m a secondary school student from Singapore and I’m currently stuck between choosing two MUNs — GYLS 2025 and PREPMUN 2025 — both of which are happening on the same dates. I can only choose one, and I would really appreciate advice from anyone who has attended either or both, or just understands the difference between these two kinds of conferences.

I’ve only attended one proper MUN so far, which was NTUMUN 2025. During that conference, I barely spoke. I gave an opening speech and only spoke again when the dais exercised their discretion to call on me. Apart from that, I’ve also been an admin staff at YMAX, where I helped with logistics for a dynamic council, so I’ve seen how MUN works structurally but haven’t really gained speaking confidence yet. I’m still relatively inexperienced, especially with GSLs and mid-debate thinking.

Here’s the issue. I’m very interested in GYLS, particularly the Historical Communist Party of China (HCPC) council, which is focused on the Zunyi Conference of 1935. It’s set during the Chinese Civil War, and the entire setup is rich in political tension — the party is split, leadership is uncertain, and they are being pursued by Nationalist forces. Delegates take on the role of Communist leaders, and the council plays out like a historical crisis simulation. It’s technically classified under their intermediate tier, but it clearly operates like a role-based crisis council. The narrative aspect, the high-stakes decision-making, and the dramatic historical context really appeal to me.

At the same time, I’m scared. I’ve barely spoken in past conferences, and HCPC sounds fast-paced and intense. I’m not sure I’m ready for something like that. I’m worried I’ll freeze up or not be able to contribute meaningfully.

Then there’s PREPMUN, which is structured more traditionally. It separates delegates into Category A, B, and C, which essentially function like GYLS’s beginner, intermediate, and advanced tiers. So it’s not strictly divided, but delegates are generally placed according to experience. I’d probably fall into Category B. PREPMUN offers a wide range of UN-style committees like UNHCR, European Parliament, DPR-RI, and so on. It’s designed to be very beginner- and intermediate-friendly, and would probably give me a more comfortable and structured space to build my skills. But compared to HCPC, I just don’t find the topics nearly as compelling.

I’m stuck between choosing what excites me and what feels safer. HCPC is genuinely interesting and could be a very memorable learning experience, but it’s also high-risk for someone with low confidence. PREPMUN is safer, more conventional, and likely to support my growth in speaking and formal MUN procedure, but I’m not as drawn to the topics or format.

So I’m asking: should I go for something that excites me but may be overwhelming, or should I prioritise a more structured and supportive environment, even if it doesn’t inspire me as much? Has anyone attended HCPC or something similar before, or experienced PREPMUN as a less confident delegate? I am in a predicament because GYLS may very well change the councils next year.

Any advice would really help. Thank you.

Btw these are the signup links to see the councils available in both MUNs yourself:

Prepmun: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdeRoXm30-z7TBqOT7QfyiR6nMl0MYUmUr5RLq8JGt5hPsrCA/viewform

GYLS: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScuLFsUs-8dtglnXNgbh_iqBc7RlLvRLKXeVw1QAAAosfh2IQ/viewform