RootsTech Survival Guide – 12 Quick Tips

With RootsTech just 3 weeks away, here are 12 quick tips to help you “survive”!

Before:

1. Bring your chargers!  You don’t want to run out of juice while taking notes in the middle of the class you couldn’t wait to attend.  If you have a portable charger, bring it too! Then you don’t have to worry about finding an outlet.  (I put this as #1 because I learned this the hard way ~ Eowyn)
2. Look over the classes offered and the schedule and pick which ones you’d most like to attend.  Choose ones that will broaden your knowledge or ones that tickle your fancy.  Be sure to have a plan B in case the class you want to attend is full.
3. Review the classes you’ve decided to attend and write down any questions you might have.  Whether you’re seasoned at genealogy or an eager newbie this will help you enhance and improve your experience and your skills.
4. You’ve heard of 72 hour emergency kits – why not have a conference kit? Get all your conference necessities gathered in one place, like paper, pens, highlighters, laptop, camera, etc. Get it all together and then you won’t have to worry about what you might forget (like your charger).
5. Have a lunch plan. The Salt Palace offers a lot of great dining options but the lines can get long.  Check out surrounding restaurants and fast food joints as they might be better options if you don’t want to be late to the afternoon classes. City Creek Center mall is within walking distance and has plenty of eateries.

During:

1. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes.  The convention center is huge and you can expect to spend quite a bit of time on your feet, especially if you visit the Expo Hall. A friend suggested Dr. Scholl’s gel inserts. We’ve tried it and they help a LOT!
2. Arrive early for sessions.  Many classes are eagerly anticipate and can fill up quickly  Remember, once it’s full, it’s full, and you’ll have to go to your plan B for that hour.
3. Network! Collect “business” cards.  This is a great time to make connections and you never know when you might need that contact down the road. You can keep notes on the back of the cards so you remember what you chatted with them about.
4. Visit with vendors.  The Expo Hall is full of opportunities for you to learn about great products and services.  Rather than just cruising by and snatching up a pamphlet, stop and talk to the folks at the table. You never know what you might learn or what a valuable contact you might make. Plus, you will make the vendors very happy 🙂  As mentioned, the Expo Hall is huge – HUGE. It’s easy to get sucked into it and not want to leave, but be sure to pay attention to the time so you don’t miss that class you really want to attend.
5. Document, document, document.  Come prepared to take notes and photos. RootsTech can be an amazing experience and as family historian you’ll surely want to preserve your memories and experiences.

Other:

1. If you have the opportunity at some point, we strongly suggest you visit the Family History Library, it’s the mother of all family history libraries. Check out 6 great tips from Julie Carhill Tarr on how to prepare to make the most of that experience.
2. There are usually a variety of social events that happen around RootsTech time.  Attend some!  It’s a great way to network and to make new genealogy friends.