Just two weeks until I’ll be heading to Vancouver for my first Employee Benefits Symposium. Bags packed. Check. Passport ready. Check. Reservations made. Check. Key sessions I don’t want to miss highlighted. Check.

I don’t know about you, but I love the time leading up to my next conference anticipating the journey—what new information I will learn in the sessions, what new connections I will make with others in the industry at the conference and how I will feel when I return to the office with new ideas.

I’ve heard a lot about the Symposium from my colleagues, and they have such enthusiasm when the conference comes up. Here are my top points of anticipation:

• Celebrating with new grads—Sunday evening you’ll find me at the CEBS Conferment Ceremony. (I also hear the reception afterward is a great time to unwind and celebrate with our peers. Count me in.) What an exciting time for those who have earned their GBA, RPA, CMS, CEBS or ISCEBS Fellowship. As a CEBS student, I know how hard they have worked to earn their designation! Truth be told, I am looking forward to being a grad too in the future.
• Meeting other first-timers—It is a great feeling to connect with others who are newer to the industry and working toward earning their CEBS. I look forward to starting new friendships and developing a network of contacts that I can reach out to throughout the year. I hope to meet a few colleagues that I can connect with on the CEBS LinkedIn Group, Facebook page and Twitter.
• Networking at the roundtable discussions—There is no better opportunity to learn from one another and walk away with terrific ideas to put into action than brainstorming with others. With the flexibility to choose the topics I want to learn more about during the networking lunch, I will have the chance to interact and be energized by my fellow attendees. I also plan to get an early start on Monday with breakfast with Symposium attendees who are active on ISCEBSLink and Twitter.
• Learning from industry experts—Have you checked out the speakers and session topics? My biggest challenge right now is trying to narrow it down to which session per time slot to attend. With topics including health care, retirement and global benefits, I look forward to learning from others’ experiences, understanding current trends and how those trends affect the future of the profession.

Will I see you at Symposium? Tweet with conference hashtag #15symp and #first so we can connect! I hope you are planning to be there to learn from the best, make new connections in the industry, share your ideas and get excited about the future. I look forward to meeting you in Vancouver in just a few weeks. . . . See you soon!

Learn alongside the best in benefits at the 34th Employee Benefits Symposium, August 23-26 in Vancouver, British Columbia—If you have successfully completed one CEBS exam, you are eligible to attend.