• Make sure you have registered and received a confirmation of your hotel reservations. Register early for courses you want to attend to guarantee a seat and take advantage of advance rates.
• Join E-Meeting the AAOE listserv and the AAOE Facebook page — network with your peers ahead of time. Use it to help you find someone with whom to share a hotel room, plan a fun Chicago evening with other AAOE members, or get answers to your questions about the AAOE Program. If you “pre-contact,” you’ll have an instant buddy when you arrive in Chicago.
• If this is your first time visiting Chicago — look up a few things you’d like check out (restaurants, shopping, museums) in the city and add some fun to your visit.
• If you are flying into Chicago — please be sure to check with your airline about the permissible check in and carry-on luggage. Visit www.tsa.gov/
• Make sure your family knows how to reach you at the conference/hotel.
• Check out the Chicago forecast before you leave home.
• Pack your badge and registration materials that were mailed to you if you registered before Aug. 25. This will avoid long lines at registration (McCormick Place, Hall A).
• Pack your cell phone charger.
• Bring business cards –to help with networking.
• Bring a sweater or layer your clothing so that you will be comfortable whether the meeting rooms are hot or cold.
• Wear comfortable walking shoes and an extra pair that you can change into.
• Bring your favorite personal survival “musts” such as aspirin, Advil, gum, cough drops — AAOE lounge will have water, coffee and light snacks. 
• Plan to attend the AAOE first time attendee orientation on Sunday, 9 to 9:45 a.m. in Room S103A.

At the Conference:

• BE SAFE!! Please use the shuttles to go back and forth from the convention center and your hotel — McCormick Place is not within walking distance from the convention centers and it is not recommended to walk around that convention center neighborhood. DO NOT wear your name tag outside the convention center — so it’s not apparent that you are a visitor in Chicago.
• If you need to register, pickup your meeting materials or purchase tickets you may do so at McCormick Place, Hall A. Arrive in plenty of time on to get through the registration process and to orient yourself with the conference building. You can usually expect a line at registration the first day. Plan on arriving more than 30 minutes prior to the start of the conference.
• Look at the program beforehand and plan your conference. Decide what sessions you want to attend and pick alternatives in case the session you pick is full.
• Remember to attend the AAOE Reception on Sunday, Oct. 17 in the Swissotel Grand Ballroom Salon from 5:30 – 7 p.m.
• Know where the bathrooms are located!
• Rip out the pages that have AAOE course information from the final program (available for pickup in Hall A), so you have the AAOE course schedule handy. Leave the book in the room so you’re not carrying around a 350+ page book. You can also use the pocket guide that was mailed to you if you registered before Aug. 25 however, session descriptions are not included.
• Remember not to overextend yourself by attending courses back to back all day —plan a break for yourself to network and relax in the AAOE lounge.
• Turn your cell phone off or set it to vibrate in the meeting rooms.
• Write notes on the back of business cards you obtain from others to remind you what you learned or what you were going to do in regards to this person or company.
• Wear your nametag high so people can see it. Pickup a new member sticker at the AAOE desk located in the AAOE course area.
• Look at other people’s name tags for use in networking and meeting new people (other new members, where they are from or names you may recognize from E-Talk). Anyone wearing an Academy Staff tag can help answer basic conference related questions. 
• Know where the AAOE lounge is located and take advantage of it to network with your peers.
• Make it a point to visit the exhibit floor including the Academy Resource Center. While there, schedule a free 20 minute consultation with a practice management consultant and browse AAOE products. Save 10 percent when you purchase products during the meeting. AAOE is planning guided floor tours for our members. Exhibits are fun and often have fun freebies you can take (plus you’ll learn stuff).
• Keep a list of people you met that you want to contact after the conference.
• Keep a small notebook in your bag to make notes throughout the conference, of people you met, new ideas and recommendations.
• Make notes on how you plan to put what you’ve learned into action when you get home. Refer to your notes when you get back home and take action!
• Please feel free to visit the AAOE help desk located in the AAOE course area if you have any questions or just stop by and say “hello”.
• Be sure to complete and turn in your evaluation form after each course. The conference planning committee will use the information you provide to plan and improve the next conference.

Post Conference:

• Onsite registration begins Oct. 14 in McCormick Place, Hall A from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. 
• You may still secure housing online. For the hotel map, list and more information, consult Hotels and Travel.
• Use the Program Search to get the latest program information from the Academy's database.