Journalism Conferences: What to Pack

 
 

I’ll be honest, I love a journalism conference. In 2022 I attended my first in person conference and by the time the year was up I had attended four others.

Before that I had only attended virtual conferences. I joined my first college publication in February 2020 as a staff writer (which quickly became a variety of different titles but that’s besides the point). That semester's conferences were then canceled as the world pivoted to adjust to our new virtual reality. The following semester I attended my first journalism conference, JACC (Journalism Association of Community Colleges), except it took place over zoom, which meant hopping from session to session in the comfort of my living room.

I quickly realized the benefit of attending these conferences. I was gaining skills to help me in my professional that I could bring back to the newsroom. These conferences also served as a reset for me to have a fresh perspective and also navigate my personal priorities in my role.

When conferences finally returned to in-person, I realized I didn’t know what to wear, or what equipment to pack for that matter. On top of that I found myself searching the web for a guide/packing list for conferences and conventions, but had no luck in finding results.

So here’s a guide I’ve put together of things I’d recommend bringing. 

Note: The conferences that I’ve been to have typically been around 3 days with additional days to travel to the location. I’ve been known to take advantage of Southwest’s free bag policy and pack a bigger bag but I’ve also been able to do this list entirely carry-on. 

Conference Clothes:

  • Blazer (Black, second color option)

  • Professional Pants (Black, second color option)

  • Professional Skirt (Black, second color option)

  • Neutral Shirts (no logos)

  • Button Down Shirt

  • Sweater/Sweater vest

  • Dress flats

  • Sneakers

  • Comfortable headband (The Scunci No Slip Grip Bendable Headband is the best I’ve found. It’s bendable so it doesn’t put added pressure on your head)

Tip: Conference attire is typically a mix of business casual and casual. As someone who is early in their career, I tend to lean towards business casual because I want to make sure my first impression is a good impression. 

Having said that, I’m huge on comfort. You’re going to be wearing that outfit all day, sitting in back to back long sessions. The last thing you want to deal with is an itchy sweater or shoes that give you blisters.

In addition to what you wear during the conference, I’d also recommend bringing some options for exploring the city. Most hotels where conferences are held at also provide either a gym or swimming pool.

Other Clothes:

  • Travel outfit (leggings, comfy tee, sweatshirt)

  • Everyday clothes (jeans, tee)

  • Night outfit (something you’d wear to go out for a nice dinner or to a play)

  • Workout clothes (think realistically about if you’ll go on a run or to the gym, your schedule gets packed fast)

  • Swimsuit

  • Also pack what you usually would on a trip: Pajamas, undergarments, toiletries, hair/makeup tools etc.

Equipment:

  • Laptop

  • Laptop Charger

  • Headphones (Personal preference: noise canceling headphones)

Day Bag (either a purse, tote bag, or small backpack that you bring with you during the conference):

  • Notebook (I prefer to handwrite my notes)

  • Pens (Bring multiple, I love Pentel’s Energel in .3)

  • Portable Charger (my favorite is the Anker magsafe option, this doubles as a phone stand)

  • Phone Charging Cable

  • USB Wall Plug

  • Hand sanitizer

  • Hand moisturizer

  • Lip balm

  • Waterbottle

  • Face mask

  • Business cards, with a carrying case

 

Here is an example of my personal business card. Because I work in audience I decided to give it a similar feel to social media apps like Instagram and LinkedIn.

 

Being able to hand out a physical business card is a big win at conferences. You can get them for pretty inexpensive online. I believe I got mine from GotPrint and opted to pick them up from a nearby location so I didn’t have to worry about shipping. 

I designed mine through Canva (which prints them starting at $15) to give them some personal flare and creative control. If you don’t currently have a position, type the title of the field you’re interested in. There’s debate about whether or not to include a photo or if you should have a QR code for your site. Use your best judgment.

Also definitely invest in a case for carrying them, it looks more professional plus you have a spot where you can hold onto the cards you receive.

Last year I attended two conferences as part of the student newsroom. My role was to cover the conference and city we were staying in in order to gather new clips for myself. Because of this I decided to pack some less conventional items.

Here are some additional items you might decide to bring:

  • External Hard Drive

  • DSLR Camera

  • Camera Charger

  • SD Card

  • USB-C adapter for computer (USB, HDMI, Card reader components)

  • Lavalier phone mic (Tip: get one that comes in a charging case)

  • Tripod

  • Phone attachment for a tripod

  • Surge protected extension cord (outlets are hard to come by so if you can offer to share with someone it’ll go a long way)

Tip: Pack resourcefully and leave additional space in your luggage so you can bring home freebies. Items you can almost always guarantee will be provided: a tote bag and lip balm.

JournalismCarolyn BurtComment