Tomorrow I’m off to a writing conference, The Muse and the Marketplace, put on by my favorite Boston writing hangout, Grub Street. Emotions always run a bit high leading up to a conference (full disclosure: I do conference planning for my actual job), so I decided to make a list of everything I should bring, so I’m not running around last minute trying to stuff random useless things into my purse (full disclosure: I am late to EVERYTHING).
So, with my background as a conference planner, one-time writing conference attendee, and overall over-packer, what is on my list?
- Purse big enough to hold everything
- Business cards (I just got fancy ones!)
- Phone & charger
- Notepad
- Pens
- Granola bars (I never believe anyone when they say they will have vegetarian options.)
- Water bottle (Trick I learned after doing three three-day conferences in a month, 5 am to 10 pm–DRINK WATER. Do not drink caffeinated beverages after your normal amount. Caffeine is dehydrating. Hotels are dehydrating. With their powers combined…you feel awful. Drink water.)
- Chromebook (maybe. Depends on how much I love back pain.)
- Registration confirmation email
- Folders to hold things in
- Wallet
- Gum and mints
- A-Game and confidence (if I can find it…I know I put it somewhere around here…)
I’m almost all packed. Now the really hard question–what to wear?
PS. I can’t guarantee that my purse contains only what is on my list
elforsyth 