Enriqueta and Shawn’s General Assembly Survival Guide

It’s the most wonderful time of year! And no, I don’t mean the winter Holiday season. It’s time for General Assembly -- and much like the Holidays, it is an extremely fun time where you get to meet a bunch of other peer educators who share common interests. You also get to learn about all the amazing programs that different institutions have to offer! Planning on what you need for when you attend GA can be stressful, especially if this will be your first time. Thankfully, your Student Advisory Committee Directors, Shawn Schutt and Enriqueta Rodriguez, have you covered! If you follow this guide, we are sure that you’ll be prepared for GA.

1. Packing: Pack clothes for every occasion!
   1. Apparel for breakout sessions should consist of business casual clothes (such as a dress or slacks), or a nice shirt or sweater (preferable one that makes it so you can rep your school pride for School Spirit Day Thursday). You should also consider packing a sweater/blazer/ or jacket just in case it gets a little chilly; we will be in the Midwest after all!
   2. Don’t forget to pack an outfit for the banquet and dance party! Attire for these events should be something pretty dressy that you can bust a move in. Awards are presented during the banquet so you’re going to want to look your best when you receive your award and picture taken
2. Schedule: Look over the schedule for GA and download the Guidebook app on your smart phone! Check out the conference schedule here.  It is always a good idea to be as prepared as you can, so make sure you know which sessions you want to check out.
3. Network! Network! Network! You’re going to meet a bunch of new people, so make sure you network with as many people as you can.  You never know who you might run into! This is a great way to communicate with people who do similar work as you, and they might have a great idea for a program that you can take back to your campus. You never know; these contacts can soon become good friendships. We have met some of the greatest people at GA. We know we will be friends for a long time, despite only ever meeting them in person once or twice! Plus, isn’t it really cool to say you have friends all over the country?
4. Be prepared You’re going to learn a lot so be ready and be excited! Who doesn’t love learning new information? Have a positive attitude and an open mind. This conference is a great opportunity for peer education groups to gain knowledge about programs and topics to bring back to their school. Get excited about all you are about to learn and everyone you are about to meet!
5. Most importantly, have fun! This is a wonderfully exciting experience (if you couldn’t tell from the tone of this whole blog, GA is one of our favorite things in the world) and you need to have fun. You might feel like you’re getting an overload of information but remember, having fun is extremely important too. There is plenty of free time to explore, make new friends, and just relax as well, so make sure you find a good balance.
6. Bonus tip Don’t forget to bring a notebook, and be sure not to lose it! Keep that puppy in your line of sight and don’t leave it anywhere. It will make you very sad if you lose it (not that I am speaking from personal experience or anything).