The first time I attended an NSTA conference I had to spend the first couple of hours just looking through the program in an attempt to determine what sessions I wanted to attend.  Now, before I go, I devote some time to looking at the program that is available on line.  I select a couple of sessions that are occurring at the same time and place them in my personal conference scheduler.  In that way I’m able to make final selections on the spot.  That actually happens to me frequently because I find that what I might need from a session was actually provided in an earlier session, a session goes over time or I stop to speak with a presenter making me late if I travel too far, or I’m just fickle and change my mind.

The on-line conference scheduler is a wonderful preview tool.  Especially for keynote or special speakers.  If they have authored a book that I am fond of, I like to bring it with me to the lecture and ask them to sign it.  Most speakers stop to talk with members of the audience after the talk and are happy to sign their book.

I’m always prepared to collect goodies at the conference.  I know that I can’t resist all of the materials you can pick up at the exhibit hall.  That’s not a problem when I can drive to the conference and load up my car, but when I fly it can be tough.  I try to leave a little extra space in my suitcase for some of the flat items.  It’s the bulkier or more fragile things that are a problem.  I now carry a canvas, zippered bag in my suitcase.  It takes up no room at all when empty but it expands very nicely to accommodate larger, bulkier, or fragile items.  Now, I’m free to pick up all I want from the exhibit floor – well, almost everything I want.  I did have to pass up an aquarium last time.

-- Linda Froschauer