Hello JrNYLC scholars! Below you will find helpful tips & words of advice from those who know best: alumni of the Conference!

To start you off, Ellen (PaPeRfLoWeRs) wants to share her advice with all of you!

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1. Take pictures of your friends, because you know you won't remember all of their faces.
2. Get your friends' addresses, phone numbers, e-mails, and/or screen names. You'll regret if you don't.
3. Have a lot of fun!
4. Don't stay up too late. I know it's tempting, but don't. You will be SO tired the next morning.
5. Join the CYLC Community Forums! =D

Ellen (PaPeRfLoWeRs)
St. Louis, MO
July 31-August 9, 2005

*JrNYLC Alumni, if you'd like to add your words of advice, please do so!

1. Meet as many awesome people as possible and get their contact information because you will regret it if you don't!
2. Wear confortable shoes because there is a lot of walking and take it from someone who knows...blisters are very uncomfortable when you are walking around DC
3. Enjoy your week because it flys by and before you know it you are on your way home
4. Enjoy what you do because for most people it is a once in a lifetime opportunity!

Leslie (cameroncrazieclogger)
Crockett, VA
Aprill 2-7, 2005



1. Definitely try to make the best out of your JrNYLC experience.
2. Bring a camera for the one of a kind shots that you'll get of your friends and the sites that you visit.
3. Always be ready for lots of laughs and unforgettable moments.
4. Try to make friends with everyone in your group and your roomates.
5. Attempt to keep in touch with your friends after the conference and be sure to get their contact information because, believe me, if you don't it will be impossible to find them afterwards.
6. Pay close attention to the historic information that is talked about because it is totally helpful for school. Also listen closely to the staff when they talk about what it means to be a leader because it is really insightful.
7. During the conference, try to discover something new about yourself and be open to new ideas.
8. And most importantly of all, have the best time of your life!


Sarah (Sarah Viviani)
Elmwood Park, NJ
June 19-24, 2004

1. Make a shower schedule with your roomates. Have some of them take a shower in the morning and some of them take a shower at night. If you take a shower around the same time it will be very rushed.
2. Bring appropriate clothes for the weather. In the summer it gets hot, in the fall it gets a little cold.
3. Get email addresses and phone numbers!
4. Bring some money or change for vending machines.
5. Relax and don't be too nervous. If you spend too much time being nervous, you will barely have any time to have fun!

Valerie (CAliGiRll)
OCtober 15-20, 2005



I would say, HAVE FUN!!! If you are comfortable with it go for the parts, don't worry about who's cool or dorky or what to wear like you probably do at school, go all out! It is the most amazing experience ever!

Brooke (Brooke Leone)
Humble, TX
July 16-21, 2006

The Junior National Young Leaders Conference is an amazing experience. I went almost two years ago, and I sill talk about it and think about it constantly. A few words of advice-

*Make sure that you have comfortable shoes, including a pair of sneakers. There's a lot of walking!

*Bring a camera, digital preferably, because they hold a lot of pictures! If you do bring a film camera/disposable camera, make sure to bring a lot of film/disposable cameras!

*Take it from someone who learned the hard way- make sure you get everyone's phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and other contact information. I tried to get it all at the last minute, on the last day, and it really didn't work out that well...

*Live each moment to the fullest. This is an experience is once in a life time.

*Check and make sure you have everything (Camera, phone, ect.) before you leave a destination.

*Set at least two alarm clocks to different times to wake up (i.e. 5:30 and 6:00) So if you don't want to get up to one you can sleep in until the other one goes off. If you use a cell phone as an alarm clock, make sure you dont have an annoying ring to wake you up.

*Wear your name tag at all times

*Try to bring a cell phone if available, most calls are made from a moving bus.

*Last but not least, and most important, make sure you have fun and be yourself. Everyone is entitled to have a good time. If you have a problem with someone, tell an FA or SR, so that you can resolve your problem quickly, or just don't talk to the person, there's 200 other scholars from all around the country that would love to meet you!

Rebecca (I *AM* Donald Trump's Boss)
Duncansville, PA
OCtober 23-28, 2004

1. Just because someone ignores you at first, don’t assume they’re mean. They’re probably just shy. I know I was.
2. Make sure to set more than one alarm clock. I really learned this at the Alumni Conference, but it applies to the JrNYLC. If you don’t set more than one alarm clock, someone is going to oversleep, and probably blame their roommates. We had one girl ONE HOUR late for a meeting because she only set one alarm.
3. Bring lots and lots of cameras, or lots of memory cards if you bring a digital. You’ll want them.
4. ALWAYS get a friend’s email before the last day. You’re never going to have time to get it then.
5. NEVER try to go to the 4-H Gift Shop during lunch or dinner/supper. You WILL be late to your next meeting.
6. On the nights of the socials, go for five minutes to the first one (the week I went, we got free ice cream), and then go back to your room. The games, while not expensive, are always overcrowded, and there’s no hope for you to be able to play them unless you wait around for a LONG time. Just skip the second one. Trust me, the extra time in your room will give you some well-deserved TV/relaxation time. It also gives you a bit longer to take a shower.


Alex (Zar'roc and Thorn)
Garner, NC
April 9-14th, 2005

1. Dont feel like you have to make friends with every single person at the conference, but do try to make more than just a few.
2. ALWAYS make sure to listen and participate in the meetings, and also ask questions. If your FA sees that you do these things and try hard, then they might pick you to do a speach at the end.
3. Make sure to bring snacks if you can! You might not like the food, (especially at UMUC), and dont want to be starving the whole week like I was!
4. Be nice to your roomates. If you dont and you oversleep, they might not wake you up in the morning!
5. Make the best out of your experience, you did a lot to get there, and you should enjoy, but learn alot!
6. Dont spend all your time waiting in line at the snack machine between your LFG meeting and room check, youll probably be late if you do!
7. HAVE FUN!

Emily Brown (horsegirl)
Lexington, KY
March 4-9, 2007

Just a bit of Advice: Be sure to pack a bag of peppermints with your child. Some kids are sure to be nervous and sometimes just sucking on a mint might make them feel a little better.

Just a word of advice: be sure to get up extra early because the lines are so long that they always run out of seats. And be sure to pack or buy lots of water, the trips are extraordinarily hot!!!

you should drink a lot of water and wear light but nice clothes because if you go in the time like now it is SUPER HOT!

a few words of advice be open and try to get to know people. you'll make more friends that way!

Try to make friends the first day, not the third or fourth

I think that they should try there best to make friends with everyone and stay in touch after the conference. I did not get someones e-mail or phone# and I really wish I would have.

Yeah make sure to make alot of friends and GET THEIR E-MAIL ADRESSES!!! I didn't get this one guys and he was soo nice i wish i would have.

It does get really hot so try not to wear black or something dark..

1.Make sure u pay attention to bus count. If u ignore the FAs, they will do it over and over until it is perfect.
2.Don't spend all of ur money in Philly. You'll want it at the Science Museum(they've got awesome stuff there.)
3.Definately introduce yourself to as many people as possible. It will be nice to have some friends to hang out with if you don't like your class or roommates.
4.Laugh with your class. Open up to them. You will feel so good around them, like family.
5.Keep a journal or take lots of pics. This is an experience you don't want to forget.
6.Get EVERYONE'S contact info. They send you on different buses after the museum. If you are planning on getting it then, make sure you are going to the same place.
7.Make friends with your roomates. You spend alot of time with them. Plus, you want them to wake you up if you oversleep.
8.And, most important, don't drink Vault right before bed or right after. You will be so hyper.
(I did 100 jumping jacks as soon as I woke up)

Have alot of fun!!I did!

A word of advice don't be nervous about meeting friends you should a lot of new friends on the first day so don't worry.

1. Never forget your name tag, room key, and schedule. You'll regret it if you do.
2. Drink lots of water.
3. You might not want to wear new shoes. There's a lot of walking. I repeat, a lot of walking.
4. Participate and you'll learn many things and have a great time.
5. I know it says it's not required, but bring a pillow to the Science Center. The floor is very uncomfortable.
6. If you stay up late, you're gonna want to sleep on the bus. You'll need your energy.

YES... NEVER lose your room key. Once you get a new key, it will zap all of your roomates' keys. If you loose your key, get all of your roomates and go to get new ones together.

thanx 4 the advice

kylevankooten, where did you stay?

For all people who come in the next week, here are some tips:

1. Remember to bring tennis shows or sneekers cause you will need them when you do all of your walking
2. Bring snacks and stuff like that cause the food there wasnt that good so if you bring enough snacks you dont really have to go to dinner and you can go to the reck room instead
3. Bring water because you dont get alot of breaks inbetween the monuments and stuff and you will get thirsty
4. Bring a digital camera, or else alot of disposable cameras because there is so much stuff to take pictures of
5. Try and make friends because you will have a better week and then you will have those friendships forever
6. Lastly just have fun because you wiil learn so much on this trip, and you need to remember to have fun while your doing it

I went in Oct 6-11 and this was a life changing expierience and i had one of the best weeks of my life with my new best friends!

Sam
Cary, IL
Oct 6-11