On First Looking into an MLA Convention: Some Random Suggestions for Survival, Aimed at Novices
- Elevators are the bane of every interviewee's existence, especially in the main convention hotels. Allow yourself a lot of time to reach your destination (by which I don't mean five minutes).
- The easiest way to conserve $ while at the MLA: don't eat the breakfast provided by the hotel. Keep some bagels & peanut butter in your room (or something similar). You might also want to bring/acquire your own snack food, the better to avoid Death by Minibar Charges.
- Speaking of food, a colleague of mine jokes that she only eats McDonald's when she's traveling to or from conferences. While you may need to walk to find it (*brrr*), you can still find reasonably cheap food not too far from the convention hotels; splurge when you're eating with friends, not when you're by yourself. (Greektown, by the way, has good and not hugely expensive restaurants. It's a short cab ride from the convention hotels, or you can take a bus.)
- Many thousands of strange people + enclosed spaces + heat = viruses. Bring some Zicam or whatnot.
- If you're taking a van back to the airport, reserve it well ahead of time.
- Now may be a good time to invest in a cell phone, especially if you're interviewing.
- Always pack one of your suits in your carry-on. (My checked luggage did indeed go astray the second year I was on the job market...)
- There are usually computers w/internet connections lurking somewhere in the book exhibit, although your access will be time-restricted.
- Go to the book exhibit.
- Many publishers will unload their remaining exhibition copies for steep discounts (occasionally, even for free) on the last day of the convention (and yes, there will be lots of eager academics ready to pounce!).
- If you're giving a paper, don't be shocked if people wander in and out of the session.
- Have you packed multiple copies of your paper, in different pieces of luggage and/or a flash drive?
- It's Chicago! It's December! It's going to be cold! Chicago winters should be taken seriously: bring a heavy, waterproof winter coat (and, if you're from Southern CA, you need to invest in one), something to layer under it, a hat, a scarf, and gloves. While downtown sidewalks are generally kept clear and de-iced, be sure to bring shoes with traction.
- It's Chicago! Go somewhere besides a hotel.