After two years of our UUA’s General Assembly being online, and then two years multiplatform, we’re 100% online again in what will likely become a familiar pattern (kind of like the Olympics with fewer doping scandals). Which means it’s time to prep for doing the business of the Association from our homes and offices…and maybe hotels and Airbnb. So it’s time for …
Aunt Kimberley’s Tips for Virtual Conferences
Make sure you’ve got your platform (Whova for UUs this week) working and you’re signed in; make sure you can access your delegate platform; make sure you’ve at least read through the agenda and the program book so you know what’s happening. And yes, read the rules of procedure - especially if you’re a delegate. Now I know that seems like the basic instructions, but it’s amazing how many folks do that stuff so last minute they miss what’s happening in the sessions while they’re trying to trouble shoot. Just prep already. And speaking of…
Make sure you triple check the session times - and TIME ZONES. Nothing worse than tuning in for the 4pm event, only to realize you read Pacific time when you’re on the East Coast!
Be comfortable. Comfortable clothes, comfortable seating, comfortable settings on your air conditioning. Whatever you need to be comfortable, get it ready.
If you haven’t gotten all kinds of good food and snacks into the house/office/hotel/Airbnb, do that now. Also, make sure you know who delivers the best tacos, because you’ll need them. Trust me. OH! And make sure at least one of those meals each day is a healthy one. In other words, eat your veggies. Your body will thank you.
You do not have to sit AT your computer all the time. If you can, hook up your computer to a tv set. Or put in ear buds so you can sit further from the computer speakers. It helps make the experience a bit less tiring.
You can do other things and still listen. I plan to do some housework, so I’ll pop in those ear buds while I’m doing dishes or taking care of the laundry or laying face down on the bed from exhaustion.
Find a buddy to be real with. These sessions are long, and sometimes contain things you will find odd, or funny, or annoying - and you’ll want someone to share that with. Whether they’re in person, or in a text (individual or group), friends make it better.
Watch the worship services. Even if you are just listening, they’ll give you some moments of inspiration and peace. Especially Synergy, which highlights the voices of our youth - voices of our future leaders. They have things to tell us, and we need to be listening.
Don’t forget to vote! If you’re a delegate, make sure you vote each evening. Your voice matters too. Seriously. Don’t forget.
Finally, make sure you have some fun planned between sessions. Maybe that’s playing games, or taking a walk, or watching a funny show, or sleeping… don’t sink into the drudgery of hours online. Enjoy the time. Make space.
Me, I’m home alone with my cats. I’m doing some work work in the mornings, then enjoying GA in the afternoons/evenings. I’ve got the HDMI cable hooked to the tv, I’ve got Ceilo Rojo on speed dial (for the tacos, of course), and my text group set up. Plus, I’m halfway through a rewatch of Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
I’m all set - are you?