Michelle Lydia Hasianna Sitompul
Entering university life in the midst of a pandemic, I must admit I had doubts that I would get any experience outside the ordinary. In fact, I imagined my university life would be uneventful. I imagined attending class every day through a computer screen, never meeting my friends, and never having real-life discussions about our studies as university students usually do. I expected my first year as a university student to be somewhat dull. Joining PILS has proven me wrong.
I decided to apply for the PILS internship after seeing their presentation in the 2020 Rally. This decision is contrary to my character because I grew up as a shy person and have always disliked public speaking. I never thought that I would even consider signing up for an organisation focusing on moot court competitions, but PILS was intriguing to me. PILS promised us mentorship, knowledge, and fascinating experiences in the international law moot court scene. I believed that joining the internship would be an amazing opportunity to receive guidance and develop crucial skills for a future in the field of law. With all this in mind, even though slightly out of character for me, I decided to seize the opportunity and just go for it.
After finishing the basic training and interview stage, I was fortunate enough to advance to the internship program with 12 other interns. We were divided into two groups and were appointed student-coaches as mentors for a more in-depth training on international law. I was first assigned to the Vis Team with six other interns. After four weeks, I proceeded to the Jessup Team. In each internship group, we were trained to make a mini memorandum based on a moot problem and to present this memorial to the mentors. Within a month, we were taught how to research, draft a memorial, and plead before a court / tribunal.
For me personally, it was extremely difficult at first. I was completely clueless as I had zero knowledge regarding international law and mooting. Fortunately, the student-coaches were helpful, and we were guided thoroughly. Whenever we faced a problem, they were glad to share tips and tricks to solve them. It really was a conducive learning experience.
One of the highlights of the internship is our last assignment as interns. We competed in the PILS Internal Moot in teams of two. During the preparation, we would conduct weekly meetings to discuss the moot problem and the drafting progress. Our student-coaches would sometimes share stories of their internship experiences and memories from participating in moot court competitions. It was relieving to know that they have been through the same struggles I was experiencing as an intern. They told us stories of sleepless nights and a lot of stress, but they kept going because they knew the hard work pays off. I still remember that nerve-wracking feeling during the final oral pleadings in the Internal Moot competition. But looking back at the first weeks of the internship, the seven-month journey has allowed me to gain and even improve skills I did not previously have. Through the entire internship, I am thankful to be supported by such dedicated coaches and peers.
Overall, joining the PILS internship was a challenging experience, but it was also incredibly rewarding. It was demanding, but the pressure would only cultivate potentials you never knew you had. Within less than a year, PILS has helped me develop fundamental skills to become a good mooter and, hopefully, a good lawyer. I gained countless valuable knowledge, not only about international law but also professionalism, discipline, and persistence. Though conducted entirely virtually, PILS has opened me up to more opportunities than I ever had. As I am writing this, I am only in my first year as a PILS member and I am currently preparing for my first ever moot court competition. I am excited to see what other life-changing experiences PILS will bring me. After all, this is only the beginning, and the future looks good.
Michelle Lydia is a first-year law student at the Law Faculty of Universitas Katolik Parahyangan and member of Parahyangan International Law Society. She is currently a delegate competing in the 2021 Asia Cup International Law Moot Court Competition.