5 Tips on Surviving Your
First OJCL Convention
2nd Vice President Julia Dean, Summit Country
Day
Is this your first state convention? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! There are hundreds of
young OJCLers experiencing the wild ride of a state convention for the first time. Here
are a couple tips from seasoned veterans that will ensure your experience is ~snazzy~!
1. Start projects early! Don’t be that person finishing their
decorative stitching on the bus ride up to Columbus. Be proactive
and finish your projects early!
2. Don’t be shy. Embrace the experience that is convention! Don’t
be afraid to audition for the talent show try that new colloquia, take
every test, or even just introduce yourself to a new friend! Audentes
fortuna iuvat- “Fortune favors the bold”- so good things are bound
to happen when you put yourself out there.
3. Actually sleep. Is it tempting to pull an all nighter at convention
when you’re in a small hotel room with all your friends and you just
drank a six pack of Red Bulls? YES. Resist this urge. Try and catch a
couple of hours of Zzzz’s. You will thank yourself the next day when
you ACE your Latin Grammar test and kill it in Certamen.
4. Cheer your head off in Spirit. You know those people who act like they’re too
cool to cheer in Spirit? They are laaaaame. Trust me, if you give Spirit your absolute
fullest effort, you will not be disappointed in the result. Losing your voice is a badge
of honor.
5. Enjoy each moment to the fullest! Convention is exhausting, and it’s easy to
take these few precious moments for granted. Remember what a privilege it
truly is! Participate in as much as possible, thank all the adults, make new
friends, eat the bagged lunches, and have the best convention ever.