BlogHer: survival tips

1. Take your water bottle. Fill it at every opportunity.

2. Leave the stiletto heels home during the day. Save them for the parties. Actually, leave them home for the parties too. We don't care. Wear your flipflops. I am.

3.  Read the agenda now. Also read the speaker list separately. Then choose your sessions. Nothing crappier than picking out a session and going to it then realizing your favourite blogger was doing a session next door.

4. Make sure you have your tutu.

5. If you have a posse of people you know already, make arrangements to meet up with them at times, even if it's just for 10 minutes.  It's nice to be able to talk to friendly faces in a sea of strangers.

6. If you know people? Introduce them to other people. People love introductions. It's an incredibly welcoming, inclusive thing to do.

7. If you don't have blog cards with your name, twitter handle and blog URL, go get them printed right now. You need these. It's not an option. I got mine from Moo. The photo side is a selection of photos I took myself (conversation starter) and the other side has the details:

Kind of fun. I hope it's clear.

8. When you get someone else's card, write on the card where you met and what you talked about. If you're like me, after two days of craziness you won't remember any of the conversations you had on the first day. Writing down a few details will tweak your memory.

9. Always have a pen with you. (see #8).

10. There will be drama. No surprise. Put 1000+ women in a room and you're gonna get drama. It's ok. Everyone will survive.

11. Remember that everyone is nervous. Everyone is anxious. Everyone thinks everyone else thinks they're a dork. Forget it.  Have fun.

12. Go say hi. Everyone will appreciate it.

13. Leave room in your suitcase for swag. 

14. Finally? Try to get some sleep. At some point. Seriously. Even half an hour will help. Preferably not in a session, though. They're pretty cool at BlogHer but I think even they might frown on that.