ALTC24: Supporting each other through conference anxiety

By Alice Chapman, ALTC24 Conference Committee Member

Picture this.

You arrive at a conference event that your manager has suggested you attend to meet your CPD objectives. Your train was delayed, and you didn’t have a seat for the duration of the journey. Despite your efforts to arrive early, you ended up rushing from the train station to find the venue, where you’re greeted by a busy person who thrusts a lanyard in your hand, telling you that the keynote is about to start, proceeding to give you lots of directions to the room.You try to spot somewhere to get some water, but you’re ushered up the corridor and reminded that there will be no seats left. You walk in the door which is located at the front of the room, and you scan the seats for a spare place to sit but everyone appears to be there with people they already know, and any other spare seats are occupied by bags. You notice a gap up the stairs, and it feels like your every move is being watched as you arrive next to someone who is frantically typing on their laptop, trying to get that extra email done before the event begins. And when the keynote speaker walks on to the stage, you find you are shaking, so much so that you can’t concentrate anyway and take none of the keynote session in.

Does that sound familiar?

We are all often reminded that conferences are good for professional development, providing networking opportunities, helping you in building your confidence, and a good chance to see different places. And whilst this may be true, and some people are natural at enjoying the experience of it all, for others it can be stressful and even cause high levels of anxiety.

Remember that you’re not on your own in feeling this way! Research shows us that in the UK, a little over 1 in 10 people will be living with an anxiety disorder at any one time which is over 8 million people (Mental Health UK).

What can we do if we experience anxiety around attending conferences?

Decide on the sessions you don’t want to miss in the programme ahead of arrival, including additional breaks if you know they would be beneficial for you.

Give yourself extra time for travel to and from the venue. Where possible, try and travel at quieter times.

Remember, it’s okay if you miss something! You don’t have to go to everything and sometimes, things are out of your control. It’s more important to take a moment for your wellbeing than try to fit everything in.

Make use of the quiet spaces. Step away if you’re feeling overwhelmed.

What can we do as delegates to help make people feel that they belong?

Be mindful of others while you’re at the conference. If you see someone that is on their own, say hello and give them a smile. Don’t be offended if they don’t want to chat, but your welcoming gestures may have helped them to feel more at ease.

Invite others to join you at lunch. This can be one of the most daunting times of the day so try and spot people who are on their own.

Only use the designated quiet space as somewhere to take a break from the conference, not as a workspace as some people really appreciate having a separate space to step away.

So, what is the main takeaway?

Be kind to yourself and be kind to others. Let’s make ALTC24 our most welcoming conference yet!

This year, #ALTC24 is heading back to Manchester on 3-5 September 2024 and we are looking forward to once again convening the Learning Technology community at this unmissable event.
Learn more and register here – altc.alt.ac.uk/2024.