Tips to Make the Most of Your Convention Experience

But before you pack your bags, consider how you can get the most bang for your buck at SAF's National Convention. Here's some tips:

• Preview the Schedule: Don't wait until you get there. Skim the schedule of events ahead of time so you can strategically map out which events and sessions you'd like to attend. By being proactive and ingenuous, you'll get more out of the national convention than you ever imagined.
• Set Measurable Goals: Determine what do you want to achieve in terms of information and contacts. This gives you an extra incentive to make your time away from classes worthwhile and productive.
• Enter a Poster Session: It's a great way for student to display their research projects to other researchers from across the country. It also provides an opportunity to meet other students working on similar projects.
• Bring your Cards: Every student should create business cards. It's as easy as picking up stationary at Office Depot or Staples. With a laser printer—presto—you have business cards. Many suppliers offer packages with matching paper for your résumé, thank you cards, and envelopes. Remember to point out something on your business card as you hand it to a potential contact. This could be your fax number, e-mail address or mention your college or university. This helps the card receiver match the name with the face.
• Make tracks: Opportunities for networking at the national convention are alone worth the price of registration. Go beyond the luncheons and more formal gatherings to casually speak with members in the hallway, or while you're in line. You never know how much information and contacts that can develop through networking.
• Get As Much Information as Possible: Because of the numerous educational sessions occurring, it's a great time to learn about different opportunities within forestry. By explore different aspects of the profession, you can discover which avenue you would like your career to focus on, for example, silviculture, urban forestry, recreation management or forest ecology.
• Use Exhibitors to Your Advantage: Knowing which companies will be on hand to display new products and services will help you keep aware of the latest technology affecting forestry.
• Keep an "Action Items" Lists: Throughout the convention jot down ideas that you can implement immediately upon your return from convention. Maybe you learned new fundraising ideas for your student chapter or information for a future term paper.