I spent the past month working hard and stressing about this big conference at work. It suddenly arrived on Sunday and with a flash was over by the end of Thursday. It was definitely an experience I will not forget.

I worked early and late; ran around the hotel helping multiple people with multiple problems all at once; ran a booth in the technology showcase; attended two different workshops; worked at the hectic registration desk; ran around an audience three mornings with a microphone to take questions for speakers; participated in my first ‘hack night’; ran missions in the rain (to get a printer, ink, transfer paper, an iron and an ironing board for hack night); listened to keynote speakers; networked with various people; ate a lot; stressed a lot; and slept like a baby at every chance I could (which were few and far between).

It was a lot of fun, despite the stress and lack of sleep. If I have my way, I will be attending the conference next year as a participant.

I also was ecstatic about being able to live it up in my own suite and that definitely made the stress of having to stay up until 2am working on a presentation much more bearable. I had a room that could be occupied by four people all to myself for two nights, and then shared it with a friend (an attendee at the conference) for the last two nights.

I can look forward to the same (if not more intensified) stress and excitement in March when I head to Tokyo!