Hello lovely people ! On November 1st, I was lucky enough to be a speaker at the Action and Participation Plan Conference in London alongside some of our amazing widening participation team – namely Dr Andrew Ross and Esther Reeves. This was my first ever conference, and if you are set to go to one yourself in the future, here is my survival guide.
1. Check bus times.
Our train into London was an untimely seven-something in the morning, I say untimely here as though I used to be out of the house even earlier for sixth form, scootering down Bathwick Hill in the pitch black, while raining, and still a little sleep deprived isn’t the best call. Due to the timing of the train, this meant I found myself pelting it to the 6am bus. This obviously got me in town way too early (First Bus, looking at you), and with all the coffee shops opening later than claimed, all I could do was sit and people watch.
2. People watch.
You are going to be travelling for a while, and if you are unlucky enough to be sat separately to whichever expert has invited you along for the ride, the 200 emails amassed for the two days you were off are only going to entertain you for so long – especially when you realise you have now sent emails at just gone 7am. You have become that person. For shame.
3. Be prepared for the intricate rituals associated with transport
There is always a screaming child, lost seat reservations, sometimes someone just whipping out a full sewing machine and taking up the whole table space, and so you need to be. Prepared. Bring your headphones, water, snacks. This will get you through the journey, and when someone later tells you all about their relationship drama (if you are somehow reading this girl from the train, dump him.), you can offer them a consolidating chocolate coin, as any other 24 approaching grandma age girlie should.
4. Have the tea and biscuits (or mini pastries)
You have travelled far - you deserve, and need, the sugar. Just make sure you’re on time to get to your first panel.
5. Sit in the front row
If you need to speak, you need to get to the platform at the front. This seems obvious now, but having to climb over people to then preach to them is not a good look. Sit. In. Front. I pinkie promise you can go back to your comfortable seat after the next break.
6. Have. A. Script
It is absolutely no secret that all things widening participation are my absolute jam, and having seven minutes cut down to five minutes cut down to whatever is left in the space means that you need to get your point across quickly. This doesn’t stop me from taking a hot minute to praise all things widening participation here, nor miss out an opportunity to mention Edgar Allan Crow and get the most charming snort-laugh I have encountered in years, and it shouldn’t stop you either. Bring your character alongside your script! You will be remembered.
Pro-tip: Write your prompts then use text to speech in order to ensure your script sounds like you. Trust me on this one.
7. Seek out people similar to you
Being the only Education Officer there was, in one way, strange. Being one of three people from an SU is arguably stranger, but at least it lets you identify your people (Hi Nyah!). Being able to find people who you could talk to about all things SU, gaining knowledge from their first year, and being able to use slang without worry of having to explain it (did you know the older generation doesn’t consistently watch YouTube?!) is nothing short of pure relief.
8. Find something nice to do to cap off the day
You have just subjected yourself to questioning, consumed a questionable amount of caffeine to try to compensate for the early morning, and are at least an hour away from home. Do something nice. Get a cute lil cuppa or go visit a witchy bookshop as it is technically Samhain – it is all your choice, and my lovely, you deserve it.
Well, I hope that helps ! As always, please feel free to bug me over on sueducation@bath.ac.uk or pop by 1 East - I still have Halloween sweets to share :)
TTYL
Amber x