Beatrix Bunga
Joining PILS was a major step for me as a first-year law student at UNPAR. My experience as a learner, a researcher, and an oralist in PILS has granted me countless obstacles yet lessons to maximise my potential. But for sure, this journey only marks the beginning of what would come.
The first time I noticed PILS was during my student orientation. PILS immediately attracted my attention, imagining how intriguing it is to compete abroad and become a representative of your university. Moreover, one of UNPAR’s alumna once told me that college-years is the perfect time to advance our English before getting into the professional legal field, where English ability is mandatory. Thus, knowing that English is mainly practiced in PILS bolstered my determination to become a part of PILS members.
My journey of becoming a PILS member was not an easy feat. When I first failed to join PILS Internship Program last October, I did not expect that such failure would come to affect me that greatly. Day by day, I became unmotivated and doubted my own abilities. Nevertheless, I did not let my despair drown me deeper. I chose to think forward and seek other opportunities to excel myself by not only acknowledging my mistakes but also improving them.
Little did I know that God had a better plan. In April 2022, I was fortunate to be accepted as PILS Member through the PILS Internal Moot Program. The Program started from the memorial drafting until the oral pleading phase. Only God knows my euphoria when those sleepless nights of drafting, researching, and practicing oral pleadings finally paid off.
The Internal Moot was my first-ever mooting experience. This experience made me realise that I was totally out of my comfort zone. Almost everything I had done priorly differ from what I am doing now. This abrupt process was the main reason I easily got overwhelmed. The thought of giving up kept haunting me, but I somehow survived by having the words “it will all be worth the fight” tattooed on my mind.
As time goes by, I understand that getting out of my comfort zone is a part of growing up and learning. The worst part of staying in our comfort zone, we unconsciously get carried away with our nonchalance. While it is not guaranteed that we will experience a smooth and easy road, tenacity is the key to unlock our full potential. These rounds of trial and error are essential to maximise ourselves. Honestly, my mentors and peers inspired me to keep growing. Their support and care towards my self-improvement strengthen me that I am not alone in this process. My experience in PILS taught me that having those who understand what you are fighting for, reminds us why you have been this far.
To sum up these past few months, I learned about resilience, professionalism, and team dynamics. Now, I cannot wait to see what else I am going to learn in PILS. Looking back at every failure and sacrifice, I definitely would not change a thing about it. But this is not the end, there are always rooms for improvement to mold me into an advanced mooter. So, let us see later where PILS will bring me this time!
Beatrix Bunga is a first-year law student at the Law Faculty of Universitas Katolik Parahyangan and member of Parahyangan International Law Society. She had competed in the 2022 Asia Cup International Law Moot Court Competition.