In a few hours I leave for the biggest psychology conference in North America, perhaps the world. The American Psychological Association is holding its annual meeting in Toronto, Canada. To mark the occasion, I thought it best to provide some advice on good conferencing habits.
I have many conferences and conventions under my belt. A rough count puts the number at 30. That's a lot of flights, a lot of hotel rooms, and a whole big lot of schmoozing. If you know what you're doing, a conference can be a wonderful experience. You will enrich your professional and personal self. If you don't conference well, though, you'll find the whole experience a complete drag. You'll wonder why everybody else is having such a darn good time and why they go back year after year.
I'm an academic, and so I go to conferences chock-full of professors and such, but this advice should apply to mere mortals as well:
1. Arrive in Good Time
Some people think it wise to arrive on the first full day of a conference, or late the night before. I strongly advise against this "just in time" travel practice for at least three reasons. First, travel often means delay. Scheduling a "just-in-time" arrival sounds attractive, but there is a good chance that you'll be late and miss some of the fun. Second, the time before a conference gets going is often a time of great fun. It's a chance to catch up with friends who you haven't seen in a long time and see some of the city (see point #5 below). Third, you won't feel rushed, which leads me to:
2. Make, and Stick to, a Light Schedule
Getting the conference guide, whether it be for the latest Doctor Who convention, the Barbara Pym Society, or the big-daddy of all psychology conferences, is always fun. You look through the guide and, lo and behold, everything looks incredibly interesting. You simply must go to all sorts of sessions, right? Start at 8 AM and go to 8 PM, everyday. Very tempting, but a bad idea. Scheduling several full days for yourself will exhaust you. Remember, you're traveling. You're in an unfamiliar bed and you're out of routine. Your habits can't keep you on autopilot as much as you'd like, which means that there will be more exertion of your limited will-power muscle. And don't forget jet-lag. Learn from my experience: Over-programming means exhaustion and less fun.
3. Always Accept the First Invitation to Dinner
I know this one sounds weird, but it's a really good idea. I've witnessed people playing the "maximization" game when it comes to dinner arrangements. They usually say something like, "Yes, dinner sounds great, except that I might be going with [insert supposedly more interesting person's name here], so I'll need to let you know." People who say things like this are trying to have the best dinner possible. They want go to the best restaurant with the best people. These maximizers often end up eating around 11 PM with 50 people, none of whom are nearly as interesting as yours truly. If you accept the first dinner invitation, you won't play this game, which-as you might imagine-gets even more complicated when other dinner-snobs become involved. Following this rule means that I eat at a decent time at a good restaurant with good conversation.
4. Keep Your Dining Party Small
Yes, another point about dining. But, let's face it, going out for good food with good friends is one of the big upsides to conferencing. Keeping your dining party small (no more than six; eight at a stretch) is a good idea for two reasons: First, you can talk to most of your fellow diners without shouting at them like they're in the next county. Second, it's much easier to get seating. Before I started my campaign for small groups, I spent too much time helping to calm horror-stricken maitre d's who were trying to find group seating for 24 hungry social psychologists. We are good tippers, though.
5. See Something of the City
This is a lesson that I learned only in the past few years. I came to realize that I was traveling to all sorts of interesting cities (Chicago, San Francisco, San Antonio, New Orleans) without seeing them. Downtown hotel districts have this curious habit of looking exactly the same, regardless of where you are. So, of late, I've made a point of taking in some local colour. Last year, for example, I went to Graceland with some friends. I have now seen carpet on the ceiling and other glorious examples of 1970's opulence.
Heed these tips for good conferencing habits and enjoy yourself. Also, please share your own tips in the comments. Happy schmoozing!
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