The University of Rochester History Department sent some of our very own to the 137th American Historical Association Conference in San Francisco, California, earlier this month. One of the department’s amazing graduate students, Katelyn P. Getchel, writes here to share her experience:
“I attended the annual meeting of the American Historical Association in San Francisco from January 4th to the 7th, and I have a few thoughts.
As this was my first conference as a graduate student, I decided to attend AHA this year because it was close to home. The AHA is strategically placed between semesters, so it was better for me, a west-coaster, to go to San Francisco by train than flying elsewhere. Since my research is concentrated in California, this conference was a good environment for conversation and intellectual exploration. Additionally, many California schools were in attendance, so I got ideas on where to take my research and what archives would make sense to investigate.
Going to a conference as big as AHA right when you begin your dissertation is the best time to go. Before this, I was at an impasse planning the direction of my dissertation, but the San Francisco air lifted the metaphorical fog of confusion and doubt for me. Through conversations and book recommendations, I got ideas and new directions to explore. Though I could have worked out some of the same conclusions on my own, the atmosphere was conducive to planning out the start of my dissertation and gave me the confidence to start my project. A roundtable conversation did not have to be focused on me and my work to be beneficial; the environment itself was inspiring for intellectual exploration.
I am set to teach for the first time next year, and I took the opportunity to attend panels regarding digital projects and data in the classroom. I use data in my work and am interested in digital projects, so these panels were a good reminder of how I can make an effort to show my students the skills I have learned as a historian for their betterment. AHA is a great time to think both about teaching and research. I learned from librarians, professors, and high school teachers that they are all great resources and that we should be open to their opinions.
Admittedly, I am not a very social person. I like about five people and speak only with them. I’m a historian for a reason: dark library, just the books? Sign me up. So when I willingly walked into AHA this year, the sheer size was overwhelming. I got overstimulated the first night at the graduate student reception, but after recovering in a hotel room, I could last through four panels and a lunch event the following day. My recommendations for non-social beings include building in quiet time, knowing your limits, and bringing your headphones for the time between panels.
My advice for anyone wanting to go to AHA: wear better shoes- I did a shocking amount of walking, and my poor shoes weren’t adequate; take a break when you get overstimulated, pack a sack lunch (food is expensive, and I needed time to eat in a quiet corner and stare at the floor), know your limits, and leave when you need to. But take full advantage of the situation and dive deeper into your research.”
-Katelyn P. Getchel, PhD Candidate