Hello from New Orleans, where I’m in town for my first ONA conference in five years. (I think the last time I got to come to an ONA was the last time it was in NOLA, actually 🎉.) Because of that, and because we’re in the midst of journalism conference season, I wanted to bring you some simple tips to get the most out of any travel you might get to do.

Make time to connect with people you care about. 

Depending on the conference, you might run into the same people from room to room and happy hour to happy hour, or you might never cross paths with people you know are there. Journalism is a small universe, so if I know former colleagues, fellows, sources and friends are going to be in the same place as me, I try in advance to make sure we make time to connect. 

This matters for at least two reasons. First, your network will be there when you need it if you tend to it regularly. Conferences are great for tending. And second, we work in a tough industry. Meeting with people in other newsrooms can help you know if what’s happening in your shop is normal, if you’re lucky or if it’s time to start looking. Bonus reason: Who doesn’t need more friends?

Leave space for hallway moments. 

Conference schedules usually have lots of options, and it can be hard to pick where you want to be. One of the places I try to pick at each conference I attend is the lobby, the hallway, the coffee shop or wherever people are gathering informally. Leave time to run into people, meet new people and appreciate the vibes that come with so many smart folks gathering in the same space.

Go to learn new things, not just confirm what you already know. 

Listen, if I was at a conference with a session on obituaries, I would 100% go. But I’d probably learn a lot more if I used that time to learn about something I don’t know a lot about. When there are options, pick one wild card session that will help you stretch a bit.

I asked my Poynter faculty colleagues for their recommendations, too. 

Alex Mahadevan reminds us to drink lots of water. 

“I also like to set realistic expectations and goals for a conference,” he said. “Instead of fretting about meeting everyone and generating leads and covering everything, I’ll tell myself, ‘Alex, just try to connect with Noreen and Lisa (or whoever) and write up something about the AI agent panel.’ It helps add structure and makes me way less stressed going in. Also, pick one thing you NEED to do each day. A session or a social hour or lunch with someone. And focus on that.”

Megan Griffith-Green agrees with Mahadevan on that last point, and she recommends putting your business cards in that little plastic nametag pouch for easy access. Remember to step outside once or twice a day. Pack a sweater or a jacket, hotels are cold. Make sure you have a notebook and a pen because the conference Wi-Fi will probably be stressing. 

“Finally, pack a little container of nuts,” she said. “A lot of conference food is carb-heavy, which can mean a real energy crash if you don’t have some handy protein to snack on.”

My colleague Jon Greenberg is a plus-one for Griffith-Green’s reminder to get out of the hotel. 

“Use mass transit, if possible,” he suggests. “Spend time listening to people talk about their work and their lives. It's essential context.”

Poynter’s Kate Cox has a few great ideas about how to manage your energy and conferences, which can be “bizarrely exhausting,” she said. “My tips for energy management: See the keynote, skip the closing. Or vice versa, depending on your interest. Pick one morning to go in late.”

Even better, recommends Kerwin Speight, fit in a nap. And get the app. 

"Most conventions have apps now," he said. "Plan your schedule in the app to keep you on schedule and manage conflicts."

And don't forget the swag tables, he said.

"There are some great finds in the free stuff! Rechargeable fans, battery packs, good writing pens—all worth it."

If your travel budget can swing it, Poynter’s Fernanda Camarena has this very good suggestion: “Get room service! The days can be long with a million conversations, and things won't slow down while out at restaurants. So, if you need a break there's no shame in spending time in the hotel to recharge with nachos and HGTV.”

And from my colleague Tony Elkins, just know you can’t do it all. That’s OK.

“You will miss something cool, a lot of things actually,” Elkins said. “And that’s perfectly fine. It’s too much and you are one person.”

As we like to say, you are a limited resource. You don’t scale. 

That’s it for me. I’d love to hear your conference survival tips AND if there’s something you love in New Orleans, please share. If you're at ONA, too, let me know. I hope to say hello and add something small to your swag haul. 🎁 

Kristen