Becky is a female personal trainer specialising in gym confidence and rehabilitation based in Horsham, West Sussex. Here, she shares her top tips for surviving and thriving at an academic conference…
There are two perspectives that I could write this guide from! I’m an ex-event manager, with one of my roles having been in conference organisation. Now, I attend conferences in my role as a personal trainer, to learn more about what’s happening in the health world. Between both roles, I’ve discovered there’s an art to physically and mentally surviving conferences, and getting the most out of them, particularly when they run across multiple days. Here, I’ll talk you through my top tips for thriving as a delegate.
Before the conference
Setting yourself up for success is always key! Fortunately, most conferences are organised months in advance, so you’ll know where you have to be and when. Travel and accommodation bookings are generally best made as far in advance as possible, and taking care of yourself starts here. I prefer to stay an easy journey from the conference venue – a short walk is what I like (this also keeps costs down, no paying for transportation to commute each day) – so I look for places near to the venue that fit my budget.
Travel links up here – I think that you really do want to arrive the day before the event starts, even if it doesn’t begin until later in the day. If you travel day of, you put yourself through an early start and, potentially, anxiety about delays. Get there the day before, get yourself into your home for the week, and get some rest! The same goes for the last day: it tends to be that the crowd thins as the day goes on, with people disappearing to get home. I prefer to stay until the bitter end, rather than worry about leaving on time to make a train or flight, and instead maximise my time at the conference and leave the next day.
There are obviously lifestyle and budget implications here, but I often think that this is also a case of good planning!
Conference time is different
I used to refer to it as Event Land: you don’t often notice what’s going on outside your little bubble, and you behave quite differently. It may seem like just a day at work, but it’s a lot of intense learning and socialising in one go, and you benefit from adopting a different mindset.
I now see it more as a learning holiday – I let my usual exercise and food routines slide (again, I plan for this!), putting all of my energy into the education I’m going to receive. The exercise one is pretty straightforward – I plan regular weeks off anyway, so I make sure that I’m due to have one that week. Some people like to train still – I don’t like the stress of trying to fit it in as and when, and navigate a gym that I don’t know at the same time.
During the day at the conference, you aren’t particularly in control of what food and drink is on offer and when. You are bound by the routine of the event and the venue, so keep this in mind. If you have medication or healthcare needs, this will be something that you need to prepare for.
Food tends to be better than it used to be a few years ago – the days of sandwiches or carb-heavy buffets are generally over, which helps our brains and bodies! I make sure that I get nutrients when I can, and stay well-hydrated – beware the lure of a rolling caffeine intake!
One way I really helped myself out most recently was making the most of the fact that I had a fridge in my accommodation. I found a local supermarket, stocked up on breakfast food and snacks that suited me, and used them throughout the week (this also saved me some money!). It’s about making positive choices when possible.
Getting out what you put in
This is often said of networking, and that’s an element of being a conference delegate. The event is being put on, the speakers are doing their bit, you have to do yours too. It’s worth knowing how long you think you can stay engaged for, and picking and choosing which talks are really important to you. Don’t be afraid to dip out if you need to! We all need a break sometimes.
Being present and switched on for the key talks will matter, and so will being an attentive conversationalist during things like poster sessions and networking opportunities.
It’s easy to get overawed by those who are speaking. Quite often, the best of the best are on the agenda and it can feel like being in the presence of celebrities. Remember that they are people too, and that they know that people will want to talk to them, so they likely prepare themselves for this.
Obviously, there are times when it’s not ok to interrupt someone, but providing that they’re not making a phone call, trying to use the toilet, or eating, it’s pretty fair game to approach someone for a chat. That’s what conferences are for, and those people are there for the same experience! The other way that I like to think of it is that it could be the only chance I ever get to meet that person, so to tell them that I admire their work or ask them a question about it is an opportunity I might not get again. I take a deep breath, and push myself.
Hopefully this guide will make your next conference experience easier!
