Confessions of a Grace Hopper Celebration Newbie
This year will be my first time attending the Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC). The anticipation of all the amazing experiences that this conference will bring has been palpable for me for months. However, trying to navigate all of the events, sessions, and other experiences offered to create a strategic plan has been a bit stressful. Here are my lessons learned so far.
Connect with someone who has attended the conference before.
GHC is the largest gathering of women technologist in the world and has been running for over 10 years. There are so many women out there who have experienced the conference, and in my limited experience, they are all willing to help. The best place to start your search for a GHC alumni is in your immediate circle of contacts. I was lucky enough to have a close friend give me all of the inside tips from her previous GHC experience. This helped a ton when I was making decisions about the best way to spend my time. If you don’t have a GHC alum in your direct connections then cast a wider net. Ask your contacts if they know anyone who has attended. Search LinkedIn for groups for previous attendees and for hashtags. Search previous conference hashtags on Twitter. When you find someone, reach out to them and ask if they can share any tips.
Read all of the AnitaB email updates
The AnitaB email updates are packed full of great information about upcoming events and key dates. You should read all of them. And I actually mean read them, don’t just skim the headings. However, if you need to prioritize your email update engagement, then the most important time to keep a watchful eye on these messages is about 2 months out from registration being open until the conference closes.
Pre-register for your sessions
The conference serves up some amazing content so be prepared for session lines to be long. Mark the date for session registration on your calendar and block yourself out at least an hour as close to the opening time as possible. I picked the tracks that appealed to me the most and then read through each of the sessions offered. I wrote a list of session names, dates, and times down giving each a rating between 1 and 3 stars based on how important it was for me to see it. Then I started looking at time slots. I stacked my schedule back to back with sessions. I probably wont be able to attend all of sessions I pre-registered for. However, it’s gives me options and will allow me to have a productive conference even if there are last minute schedule changes.
Get to registration early
I was at the conference center at the earliest possible date/time to pick up my badge. Not only did this allow me to skip the long wait times but it also allowed me to get a feel of the conference layout without all of the crowds. As an added benefit, I got prime selfie time with the banners and main conference sign.
RSVP to those after hours events
At GHC, networking is key. One of the best places to connect with people and have amazing experiences is at some of the after hours events that happen during the conference. Many of these require pre-registration. Figuring out who is having events and how to get in is no easy feat though. I happened upon an amazing Github repo in the weeks leading up to the conference where some fabulous lady had compiled a list of all the events with registration links. I found this just by doing a couple of Google searches. Other ways you could find this information though, is by looking at the conference sponsors. Check out their website and social media accounts. Also, the exhibitor list is published, you could use that for your event research.
Boost your social media engagement
Social Media provides another way for you to engage at GHC. If you are not an avid social media user, then I recommend increasing your usage of these platforms leading up to and at the conference. Posts are a great way to make connections that you could meet up with in person. If I had to pick the most valuable platform, I would choose Twitter.
Equip yourself with the necessary tools
Some of the tools that have made my GHC planning process successful is the GHC19 Slack community and the conference app. Slack is another great way to make connections before you arrive at the conference. You can also utilize it to help find tickets if you miss the initial sale, find community specific spaces, or even get a roomie. The conference app has really helped with managing my schedule and locating sessions. The conference spans a huge area so determining how much time it will take me to get from one session to another was an essential planning step.
Live your dreams
This event truly is one of a kind. To date, I have only picked up my registration badge and I am already feeling inspired. While walking the nearly empty halls of the conference center this morning, it felt like the positive energy was reverberating off the walls, as if they knew the amazing things that were in store for them in the coming days. Harness those vibes and work to push yourself out of your comfort zone. It doesn’t matter if this is an annual trip or your one chance to attend, the opportunity to be a part of an experience that could make a difference in your life|career|journey will probably only come once.
#GHC19 #AnitaB #WeWill #5050By2025
Follow me on twitter @jadorepaisley12
