Hi everyone,
I’m a first year graduate student doing an oral presentation on my preliminary data at a conference. It’s my first conference, and I don’t know a single soul here. My advisor really wanted me to present (I have cool data) and was supposed to come but ended up not coming, didn’t give a reason. I feel completely alone and stressed.
I tried to go to the opening banquet but when I walked in everyone was in groups and talking, I panicked and left. I tried to get to breakfast early this morning but even then there wasn’t anyone alone, and there weren’t any groups who weren’t already talking.
I wish I knew how to walk up to a group of people and join in their conversation, but I don’t. It feels so rude and awkward to do that. How do people do it? What would you do in my situation?
I am going to go to talks and ask questions. I have a meeting lined up after my talk with a possible collaborator. But in the meantime I’ve just been sitting in my hotel room eating pita bread and practicing my presentation and I feel like garbage about it, it feels so anti social and like a waste of a trip but I don’t know what to do.
Comments
When you start a conversation, talk about their research first. Express interest in their research. This is a topic that will get them talking 100% of the time. People want to share their research. Then, talk about yourself after that.
(It helps the flow of the conversation if your research is similar to theirs, which is usually the case because that’s usually why you want to meet this person. But it’s not necessary.)
You could talk to presenters at their posters, or after a powerpoint presentation, or just say hi randomly and say you have questions about a presentation you saw earlier. Something like that.
I’ve been in your situation, so i understand. But know that pretty much everyone is kind of like you. They are dying to share and talk about their research, just like how you think your data is cool.