I’m an introvert. I don’t like flying. I don’t like big crowds. So when I was asked which of the three Quirk’s Event locations I wanted to attend for the first time, choosing New York made total sense, right?
Well, it did. I went outside of my probably-too-small comfort zone and was convinced by a co-worker that if I was to experience The Quirk’s Event for the first time, I should start my journey where the event first began.
I started at Quirk’s in May of 2015, right after we held our first-ever Quirk’s Event in Brooklyn, N.Y. I began working on the event the next year and have seen it grow from one location to three. Part of my job at Quirk’s consists of maintaining The Quirk’s Event Web site. It’s been long and hard work since we added more locations, and this year I was able to finally experience first-hand the fruits of my labor.
I had received travel tips from my colleagues about how to navigate the big city, which were helpful to someone who lives in the quiet Minnesota suburbs. I survived the flight from Minneapolis but didn’t think I’d live through the taxi ride to the hotel. Riding in a taxi in New York was just as I imagined: death-defying driving with a lot of horn honking. The taxi driver was pleasant and offered advice for our first time in New York, turning his eyes away from the road to point out notable landmarks. My legs were a little shaky as I stepped out of the cab and walked into the hotel, glad to be out of any kind of motorized transportation.
I arrived in New York the day before the event and took some time to explore the expo hall, grab my Klik badge and familiarize myself with the layout. I strolled through the space and found exhibitors setting up their booths and colleagues making some last-minute touches. Exhibitors from different companies were greeting each other happily and hugging one another like old friends reuniting. Things were coming together and some of the nerves were beginning to set in for this first-timer.
As part of Quirk’s editorial team, my main job at the event was to attend sessions and update the Quirk’s Twitter account. As a Millennial in my late twenties, I will admit that I was drawn most to the sessions about Millennials and Gen Z. I had spent the better part of three years adding sessions about Millennials to the Web site and I wanted to take the opportunity to see how these sessions were being presented. While Gen Z was the topic of some sessions, Millennials were still the front-and-center generation. I found myself nodding my head in agreement with the research findings that were being presented, while at other times I felt that I didn’t fit with what they were saying about Millennials.
I resonated most with the session “Millennial Parents: The New Family Dynamic” by Open Mind Strategy. As a first-time Millennial mom of an almost-one-year-old, this session piqued my interest. The speaker gave a great presentation with a refreshing sense of humor and some interesting findings that even I was surprised by. One being that Millennials, who are considered to be technology-obsessed, are strict when it comes to their children’s use of technology. This is something I try (and, I’ll admit, have failed) to enforce in my house. My son, along with every other baby/toddler on the planet, is obsessed with “Baby Shark” and as such I have sometimes turned to the tablet for a few minutes of much-needed peace. But to see that my cohorts feel the same way as I do about technology use was surprising, albeit a bit of a relief.
The expo hall was bustling with activity on both days of the event. Attendees were chatting with suppliers and engaging in the numerous experiences offered by Quirk’s and the exhibitors. At the end of the first day, I grabbed a quick drink at the MR Jam Session and listened to the band play a few songs (including a song by Green Day, my favorite band of all time). By the end of the second day, I was exhausted but very impressed by the amount of work my colleagues have dedicated to making the event successful. After everyone had left and the expo hall was empty, the Quirk’s team got together for some celebratory pizza.
I don’t know what the future holds for me during next year’s Quirk’s Event. Maybe I’ll try a different location. Or maybe I’ll stay back in Minnesota and hold down the fort. Either way, I’m glad to be a part of this great event and will continue to make the event Web site the best it can be.