SBL 2010: First-Timer Impressions

With SBL 2010 behind me, and the first cup of my own home-brewed coffee in me (after traveling all day yesterday), I thought I'd offer a few tips for those heading to SBL for the first time (perhaps next year?). Mind you, I am a M. Div student and was a first-time attender myself this year, so take these ramblings as one who is pretty low down on the food chain, caveat emptor.

In honor of the tryptophan coma I'll likely be in tomorrow, this list will be offered "stream-of-consciousness" style:

1) You don't have to stay for every full session. It is perfectly acceptable to stand up after a talk (even if you are in the middle of a row of chairs and have to trip over Hauerwas or Stan Porter) and leave for another talk somewhere else. Of course, if you do step on someone while leaving or knock over some poor hack who is trying to leave himself, cover up your name and school badge so no one will know who created the huge ruckus...and run!

2) Network as much as you can. Perhaps you're a M. Div student with no pedigree and you are afraid of talking to the front desk lady, not to mention Ben Witherington III. Come on man! Muster some intestinal fortitude! Those in the know say that one of the BEST things about SBL is the chance to network, to rub shoulders (and drink beers with) some of the world's best scholars. I sense this is true. Of course, you must accept that because you are a lowly M. Div student with no seminal contributions made to the field yet, you are not likely to be interesting to said scholars. Nonetheless, do what you have to do to enjoy some crumbs of wisdom from these scholars. You never know when their wisdom (or your connection to them) might pay off.

3) Dress professionally. This probably goes without saying, but trust me on this one. Most folks I saw were in jackets and ties. Much to my great delight, I saw lots of sweater vests. I've never seen so much tweed in one place. So break out your Sunday best, and wear it everywhere. Your wardrobe for the conference should be what you'd wear to a professional school interview.

4) Budget lots of money for books. The book sales at SBL are great and the discounts are deep. If you have a book budget (and you should create one if you don't)--save a good portion of it for SBL. Most publishers will ship free to your home address if you purchase three or more books.

5) Take notes during sessions. I saw lots of folks not taking notes. But then again, I saw some of the greatest scholars in the world taking notes. My conclusion: take notes! You never know when some nugget you jotted down will come in handy. I'm recording my notes into a word document for Endnote later today in fact...

6) If you haven't yet found your niche yet in academics, then go to lots of different types of sessions. Go see what you find interesting. Listen to all different types of stuff. Make a note of what you were falling asleep in...make a note of the sessions when you got goosebumps and were twitterpated. The latter might be your field of interest. Just sayin...

7) Crash private parties. I didn't do this very much this year, but should have. Try to get invited to the numerous school dinners...if for the very least because you're a poor grad student and you don't have much food budget.

8) Don't let the fact that you're a nobody get to your head. You'll be rubbing shoulders with some of the best scholars in the world, and it's easy to succumb to the thought that you don't belong there. That's rubbish and don't believe it. Don't compare yourself to NT Wright. You're not him...you are you. Every time I introduced myself as a M. Div student at Oklahoma Christian, I was rewarded with a pleasant smile. Why? Because all these scholarly ladies and gents remember what it was like to be wet behind the ear and a know-nothing. They remember--I could see it in their eyes. Accept that, of course, you do know things (otherwise you wouldn't be there) and you are still learning (and always will be). Take those nuggets of wisdom, those that tell you that you need to learn more about X, Y, or Z and do something with it when you get home. And take this as pastoral wisdom: remember that your true value is who you are in Christ. Jesus Christ is your claim to fame. All the rest you should count as loss...

9) Go to a worship service on Sunday morning. Sure, you're exhausted--but remember who you are and muster the chutzpah to get out of bed on Sunday and go to a worship service. The one I went to was led by David deSilva--a man who in addition to writing brilliant (and voluminous) books--plays the piano brilliantly as well. Sheesh...what a hack...er...I mean...awesome guy. Like I said, go to worship.

10) Go to the student sessions. If for any other reasons to experience the olfactory aroma of stress. Yes, it really does have a smell--a smell of faint but acrid caffeine. The stress results from the awesome advice you get in these student-tailored sessions, advice which typically elicits a dawning realization that you've only done a tenth of what you need to have done. As most of the room realizes this same thing, the smell begins. Ah, stress. That being said, some of the most memorable and helpful advice I received came from Dale Martin in one of these sessions. One day when I have my Ph.D I'll look back and say, "thanks Dale." Go to the student sessions.

OK, that's ten things and makes a good place to stop. Feel free to add your own in the comments if you feel like it. Hope it helps!

...ooh, a BONUS tip:

11) Use the energy you gain from SBL to do something in the next two weeks. Perhaps it's the shame you feel for your moments of academic laziness in the past year. Perhaps it's the shame of admitting you've not been active in the publishing game this year. Perhaps it's the thought that there are dusty stacks labeled "To be written" at your home office. Whatever the reason, you are going to come away from SBL with an itch to do something. To read more. To write more. To DO more. Capitalize on that. Don't let it go to waste. Dust off that manuscript you've been piddling with and get writing. Give yourself a two-week deadline to get it turned around and DO IT. One of the fun moments for me at SBL was approaching the editor of SCJ and asking him if he'd welcome a manuscript on X for the spring 2011 issue. To my delight he said yes and I was working on it on the plane yesterday as I flew home. Why? SBL gave me the push, I guess. My point: don't let the 'push' go to waste!