What is the best advice for a first-timer attending a conference?

[smspamperedchef]

Hahahahaha

 

[Christ Follower]

If you buy any supplies at Conference BEFORE you buy the mystery boxes, they will let you put the supplies in the boxes to be shipped home as long as they fit in the box! It's a great thing to do so you won't have to lug heavy paperwork home! Let FEDEX do the work for you!

Do they have a flat-rate shipping charge or is it by weight?

 

[chefjwr]

Hi Sharon,

I am from Fort Worth, Texas. Now in Allen. Where are you in Ft. Worth?

 

[chef_kimmo]

I believe it is by the weight. I usually keep a couple of the paperwork items to mail to certain customers and mail the rest home for later use. I would time my purchases around when I did the Surprise Pack so I could mail right away.

I am not sure if I have seen this on this thread but one time I saw a suggestion of bringing a few self addressed stamped envelopes and when you are in a workshop where you would love for them to send you something. Write what you would like them to send you on the back and hand it to them after the workshop.

I can't believe it is a week away and I am can't sleep tonight!

 

[MomToEli]

I just went to the lake--a few days before a family trip attached to my flight to Conference. What do you think I forgot to take to the lake????? Underwear and Coffee. Oh my goodness. Don't let this happen to you. I had to wear my no butt husband's underwear while mine where washing. Not good!! Don't forget underwear. TMI right?

No COFFEE!!! Oh, didn't you just want to die???

No underwear - well, you came into the world without those ... you just have to watch out for zippers. But no coffee??

 

[ChefBeckyD]

We are all assuming that FEd-Ex will be there to mail things home like UPS did - but has anyone heard for sure that they will actually do that?

 

[chefjwr]

Yes, Sandy it is true NO COFFEE. I was on the verge of falling asleep all the time--no ideas no brilliant thoughts. I am needing to get it together to pack because I leave for a family reunion tomorrow a.m. and needed to be thinking and planning but all I wanted to do was sleep. We stopped on our way home from the lake at a small lake store and I went in searching for COFFEE. The lady there said "Why do you need it? Did you stay up half the night?" Where are these people from--don't they drink coffee? I ended up with some hot choc out of a machine thing. Torture. I couldn't drink it. It tasted strongly of metal. Then we passed the Burger King and I remembered they have a new iced BK Mocha Coffee drink. The whole family sat in a very slow drive thru line. I got it and began drinking it and soon I began to see color again. I am home this morning and I will be drinking coffee and not worrying about underwear. I sure wont' be forgetting to pack underwear. I am not as well located at Conference for coffee since my room reservation went askew. I was at the Hilton and there is a Starbucks there not I am at the Sheraton and not so sure. If I go to the Workshops with no coffee--it will all be lost on me.

 

[DebbieJ]

We are all assuming that FEd-Ex will be there to mail things home like UPS did - but has anyone heard for sure that they will actually do that?

Yes, Fed Ex will be there.

 

[DebbieJ]

I was at the Hilton and there is a Starbucks there not I am at the Sheraton and not so sure. If I go to the Workshops with no coffee--it will all be lost on me.

I'm sure you will have a coffee shop near the Sheraton. Otherwise, there's a Starbucks in McCormick right near the theatre where we have general session and I believe there is one in the south buildings where many of the workshops will be. Not to worry!

 

[MissChef]

Here is more advice!!..... The last night before you leave, don't spend it packing!! Get that done either the day before or at least the morning before and the reason for this is that you need to SLEEP!!! The one bit of advice my old senior director would tell me is sleep before you come because once you are in Chicago, we get very little sleep and then we get cranky and she was right! My first time I went, I came sick with strep throat, had my antibiotics and was no longer contagious, but I was inhaling advil to feel okay! I ended up exhausted and ready to hurt everyone the last night! Plus it was so freakin homesick! It was the first time I had ever been away from my kids! My daughter was just barely a year old!
And so now I've tried to remember every year to be ready and sleep the night before! You truely are busy and on a crazy schedule!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Here is more advice!!..... The last night before you leave, don't spend it packing!! Get that done either the day before or at least the morning before and the reason for this is that you need to SLEEP!!! The one bit of advice my old senior director would tell me is sleep before you come because once you are in Chicago, we get very little sleep and then we get cranky and she was right! My first time I went, I came sick with strep throat, had my antibiotics and was no longer contagious, but I was inhaling advil to feel okay! I ended up exhausted and ready to hurt everyone the last night! Plus it was so freakin homesick! It was the first time I had ever been away from my kids! My daughter was just barely a year old!
And so now I've tried to remember every year to be ready and sleep the night before! You truely are busy and on a crazy schedule!

I usually too excited to get much sleep the night before we leave! I keep waking up and checking the clock to make sure I haven't overslept!

 

[mommyhugz1978]

OH BOY am I ever excited here about conference!!!!! I can't wait.... I have to start doing laundry today and organizing my clothes that I want to bring.. speaking of which I think I need to go shopping too!!!

 

[MomToEli]

I'm having trouble sleeping NOW ... I can't imagine what the night before is going to be like

Just give me Benedryl ... knocks me out cold...

 

[MissChef]

I'm having trouble sleeping NOW ... I can't imagine what the night before is going to be like

Just give me Benedryl ... knocks me out cold...

Me too! The only problem is that I'd be scared that I'd miss the alarm clock = missed flight = major freak out!!!!

 

[cathyskitchen]

The most important piece of advice I can give is to go with an open mind. I went to NC one year with a girl who "boohoo'd" every little thing (there's no way that will work, I could never do that, etc.) and it really put a downer on the whole thing. I was there to learn and get excited, and she pulled as all down. Luckily, I'm pretty self-motivated, so I didn't let it affect my business, but it could affect others. If you have negative comments, keep them to yourself, or tell your mom when you get home. Don't "infect" other conference attendees. Last year, that girl didn't go, and I had a fantastic time with a girl on my team who went for the first time and thought I was kidding when I told her there would be "dancers" on stage - she laughed her butt off when she saw I wasn't kidding!! We had a blast. So, attitude is everything! Have fun!

 

[chefann]

This is kinda silly advice, but it's good for some people.Pack old things: underwear, toothbrush, jammies, etc. Then just throw them out. You'll have more room in your suitcase for stuff on the way home.