Showing posts with label packing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label packing. Show all posts

Sunday, November 6, 2011

What to Pack for GHC North America

Whether it's your first Grace Hopper Celebration or your fifth, every conference is a new experience, so we've put together a short list of "must pack" items to make sure that you come prepared for this year's conference in Portland!

1. Umbrella and Rain Gear We're expecting rain in Portland in November, so be sure to come prepared with an umbrella, rain coat, boots, or anything else that you need to keep yourself dry on your way to and from the Oregon Convention Center.

2. Layers, layers, layers With outdoor temperatures in Portland currently predicated in the range of 41*F to 52*F (5*C to 11*C) for the conference days, and the convention center indoor temperature set to 72*F (22*C), you'll want to have plenty of layers to keep warm and adjust accordingly. During our planning trip in August, we found the convention center chillier than expected, so you'll want to have layers to wear indoors as well.

3. Business Cards and Resume
In order to follow up on those connections you'll be making at the Grace Hopper Celebration, be sure to bring along your business cards. Take stock now to make sure you have plenty and then don't forget to pack them in your bag. And be sure to bring copies of your resume to have on hand when you visit exhibit booths and speak with sponsors.

4. Comfortable Shoes
With packed conference days, you'll want to have comfortable shoes to keep you on your feet and walking around the convention center. You'll also want to be sure to wear comfortable shoes to Sponsor Night on Friday so that you can dance to our DJ!

5. Camera
Capture all of the memories--don't forget to bring your camera to the conference.

6. Laptop... Or Just Visit the Cyber Center
Many attendees choose to bring their laptops to the Grace Hopper Celebration, and there will be free wireless internet sponsored by Juniper Networks. If you decide not to, you can access the internet and use a computer at the Cyber Center in Exhibit Hall C, sponsored by the Anita Borg Institute.

Are there any recommendations you would add?

Monday, September 27, 2010

Packing for Atlanta! [update]

It turns out I did have time to document getting ready for Atlanta!



Here's what I packed (click the photo to go the Flickr page with notes):


What are you bringing with you to GHC?

Packing for Atlanta!

Ed here!  I wanted to do a quick post about what I'll be bringing with me to Atlanta this year.  Usually I do a video episode of Ed & Ashley's 5 Minute Show, but GHC came up so fast this year!  So, I'm going to do some episode-recycling...it's good for the environment, right?

Even though we say GHC 2009, this episode applies to GHC 2010.  I'm going to be packing much of the same things this year.



It looks like the weather in Atlanta for next few days will be in the 70s.  Like last year, light layers will be really helpful.  I think sunglasses and sunscreen are a must if you plan on being outside.

I haven't packed yet, so if I have time, I'm going to post a video of some speed packing!  These are things I'm not going to forget to bring to GHC!

  • Light jacket or in my case an adorable cardigan :)
  • Water bottle
  • Business cards (although I'm hoping that I'll get to use my Poken a lot!)
  • Important documents (resume, schedule, boarding pass, etc.)
  • Electronics (Egg [my netbook], video camera, digital camera, phone, etc.)
  • Chargers!
  • Tons of excitement :)
I can't wait to get to Atlanta and see everyone!  I'll be wearing an orange Wheaties hat and I would love to meet you, so please say hello!

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Finishing Touches

I'm mostly packed. Of course my netbook, Egg, isn't packed yet since that would cut me off from the online world and then I would go through withdrawal symptoms and no one wants that. As I was finishing packing, I realized there's one last thing I have to do and it's not running through the dish washer. I have to optimize Egg for GHC!! What does that mean? For me, it means making sure everything I'll need for GHC is right at my fingertips...on Egg, of course!

My Browser
I'm involved in the GHC online community and I want to make sure I keep up with it while I'm at GHC! I've set new homepages in Google Chrome so that when I open it, all the important GHC pages open. Here are the pages that I open:



Note-taking/Blogging

Although I'm not an official note-taker, I'll still probably want to take notes in sessions. Being a blogger, I'm also going to want to write several blog posts at GHC. There's also the possibility I'll want to outline a couple episodes of Ed & Ashley's 5 Minute Show. I want to make sure that all of my notes, posts, and outlines are organized and in one place. I set up a notebook group in OneNote dedicated to GHC. I have notebooks for notes, blog posts, and the show. Everything is in one spot so I'm not searching for it later!



My Taskbar

I've also set up my task bar for GHC. I'm running Windows 7 RC, but you can create a Quick Launch menu with the same functionality. Here's my taskbar:


  • Internet browsers: IE, Firefox, and Chrome (with all my GHC tabs)
  • Sticky Notes, to take quick notes and write down to-do's
  • Tweetdeck, my Twitter client of choice with its own columns for GHC Tweeters and a #ghc09, #ghc search
  • OneNote, for all of my conference notes, blog posts, and outlines
With all these fabulous tweaks, Egg is ready for GHC!!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

What to Pack for GHC 2009

Tucson is one of the sunniest cities in the U.S.A. with 350 days of sun each year! The weather in Tucson averages a high of 86 degrees in the day and 55 at night during October. Here's a list of some essentials to bring to GHC.

Clothing and Accessories
  • Pack clothing that will ensure protection against the sun. With the wonderful weather Tucson has to offer, you are sure to be spending some of your time outdoors. It's also a good idea to bring layers to ensure more comfort when traveling in and out of air conditioned environments. Nights may get chilly so don't forget to also bring a jacket.
  • Bring comfortable shoes. At GHC you are bound to be on your feet all day going from one exciting event to another. You don't want your aching feet to stop you from any of the fun. Bring shoes that will keep you feeling good all day. Also, bring your hiking or walking shoes if you plan on exploring outdoors.
  • Don't forget your swimsuit so you can enjoy the JW Marriott Starr Pass's gorgeous swimming pool.
  • Pack essentials like sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat.
  • Bring your dancing shoes! As is the GHC tradition - there will be dancing after the Awards Ceremony on Thursday night. There is no dress code so feel free to wear what makes you comfortable.
Things You'll Need at the Conference
  • Something you don't want to forget is plenty of copies of your resume. Bring at least two for the resume clinic but also have more on hand in case opportunities arise as you speak with sponsors.
  • Business Cards will definitely come in handy. Even if you aren't employed right now make sure to make your own business cards with your information on them just in case. However, the best way to exchange information with someone is through the CONNECT project. Make sure to sign up and this way you will be able to access your connections any time in the future, without the risk of losing them. It's an eco-friendly way to network.
In her blog post Tips for Newbies, Ed offers additional tips. Is there anything else you recommend others bring to Grace Hopper 2009?

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