If you’re considering registering for ONA22 as a first-time attendee, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Each year, approximately fifty percent of our participants are joining us for the first time, creating a nice mix of new faces and seasoned veterans.
Whether it’s your first time attending or you just want a refresher, we’ve pulled together information below to help you make the most of your experience. Overall, we want to create a respectful, thoughtful environment for all participants, including you!
Preparing to register
- Need to convince someone ONA22 will be a worthwhile experience for you? We’ve got you covered with our Why Attend ONA22 page.
- Need help with fees? We offer a number of opportunities to make it free to participate in ONA22. If you’re not sure whether you’ll qualify and can swing the registration fee, you can always register now and we can refund you if you’re accepted for a scholarship or volunteer opportunity.
- Want to know more about what the day-to-day will look like? Check out our initial ONA22 schedule for the latest on sessions and presenters, with updates coming through August. You can also look at the ONA21 schedule for a sense of the kinds of topics and presenters we typically include.
Schedule and travel
- Want to know when to plan your arrival and departure? Or, if you’re participating virtually, when to block off time on your calendar? You can view a skeleton schedule here.
- If you’re joining us in-person, we offer discounted rates at the host hotel, making it easy to get to and from the conference activities.
Know before you go
- We will host a virtual webinar for both in person and virtual participants in advance of ONA22 so you can maximize your time.
- We have a Code of Conduct that sets expectations for our events. In short, be thoughtful, be kind and be prepared to engage in some great dialogue.
Veteran tips
We’ve collected tips from conference veterans over the years and have consolidated a few here:
- Don’t be afraid to jump into the conversation. Sometimes first time participants, especially if they are students or young professionals, are shy about asking questions or joining discussions. They don’t want to say something that will seem embarrassing, which is understandable. But the reality is that industry veterans love hearing new voices. The conference is based around evolving the journalism industry, and the only way that will happen is to listen to fresh perspectives.
- It’s a marathon, not a sprint. You’ll have to prioritize your time to pick your top sessions, network when you’re up for it, and rest when you need downtime. We’re trying to create archives of as many sessions as possible to help with any fear of missing out – the FOMO is real!
- Networking doesn’t have to be terrible. Many people are concerned networking will feel like a high pressure sales pitch. We understand that! But we’ve heard so many incredible stories over the years of people finding their favorite colleagues at our conferences, often sparked by a casual conversation. Lead with your passions and your kindest self, and you’ll likely find some terrific new friends.
Have more questions? We try to share helpful information (and love feedback, good and bad). You can reach us at support@journalists.org. Please note we’re a relatively small non-profit team, so we’ll try to get back to you within about 24 hours Monday – Friday.