This year’s Buddies Welcome Newbies features not only a new format but also a new experience. Read on to learn more about how to make the most of ATA’s 61^st Annual Conference and how to prepare for our kick-off event.

Event details:

Wednesday, October 21

6:30 pm – 7:30 pm EDT

We’re already loving that we don’t have to study a map to get to a conference room —you already know where to go! All conference attendees who signed up for Buddies Welcome Newbies on their registration form will be able to access the event via a link in the agenda located in the virtual platform —which will be live in the next few days!

If you did not sign up for the BWN event during your registration, but would like to join us, you can do so up to the day of the conference by using the event link on the agenda.

Have an e-card ready

We will start with a brief orientation about the conference in general and some networking tips, creative ways to make the most of the conference, and even some practice time (i.e., networking) in the main floor.

But don’t wait until Wednesday October 21^stat 6:30 pm EDT to jot down a brief introduction of yourself! Draft an e-card ahead of time so you can drop it in the chat with these blocks of information:

[name], [email], [where you live], [what you do].

If you have this in some kind of note on your computer or your phone, it will be easy to copy and paste it into every chat.

Bonus tip: All those new and valuable contacts will now be stored in your computer, tablet or phone, ready for you to follow up during and after the conference!

Breakout rooms: Your first major networking event of this year’s conference

Following our presentation in the main room, attendees will be assigned to much smaller breakout rooms (final count of attendees per room will depend on the actual number of participants; as of today, there are 306 of us attending this event!)

Mimicking what happens in the round tables during the in-person BWN event, there will be one moderator (aka a Buddy) in each breakout room, and you’ll have time to briefly introduce yourself and interact with other Newbies and Buddies in this room. Also, in the breakout rooms you can show your cameras, so be ready to interact like you are having real coffee with each other!

Remember: The chat box is the hallway

That’s where the magic happens, and you will have the opportunity to personally interact with other colleagues. Aside from your e-card and mastering the art of Ctrl+C/Ctrl+V, remember to also learn from people’s questions, have some icebreaker comments/questions ready, and be ready to learn, socialize, and make the most of this year’s conference experience until we meet up in person again!