Model UN Peak

I have quit my most favorite activity : Model United Nations (Model UN/ MUN)

Let's start at the beginning.

When you see something, learn from it, it has a use-value. When I started MUN-ing (for lack of a better word) I began to appreciate the world system, international relations, power politics, regionalism, military and economic issues that confront the world today.

I learnt knowledge and I got rewarded for it! It was great! But then it reached a stage (after about 17 MUN's) - where it's 'use-value' began to decrease. So in economics, there is a concept called Marginal Utility. It states that as more and more units of a 'product' is consumed its MU (marginal utility) falls down/decreases. So basically, in simple language, if you eat your first ice cream your MU will be the highest, but by the time you eat your 10th ice-cream your MU will be falling or negative.

The marginal utility curve is a upside-down 'U' curve. It increases, reaches a 'peak' and then rapidly falls down reaching zero and then becomes negative. And for me, my MUN curve is negative now...

I became so good at MUN-ing that I would walk in a committee and win an award on the third day. It was addictive, the reasons were intelligent and the applause later was a morale booster. But then I started asking, how much is too much? When is enough really enough?

And it hit me.

I did MUN-ing because-

(1) It was a source of knowledge.

(2) I got rewarded for it. (bonus)

(3) Not everyone was good at it, not everyone could understand the concept (double bonus)

I now have a wonderful bunch of friends and memories I have made in my last 4 years of MUN-ing life.

But the reasons I am stopping is because-

(1) I do not gain any knowledge from it... (I think once you spend more than 700+ hours, you become an expert in that specific area and the ability of the brain to 'receive' information drops)

(2) It is unfair to keep continuing in an activity where you'll keep accumulating rewards, MOVE ON and LET NEW KIDS COME IN 

(3)Dear friends, after all, it is model un. 

Au Revoir MUN! You were sweet and some memories were made.

I feel a sense of satisfaction as I type in this pseudo-resignation letter... 

Dear Model UN,

I resign.

Have some places to travel, some languages to learn.

Yours lovingly,

Sameera