The Conference Ready Muslimah

South Africa is now opening up its doors to many more conferences for the everyday Muslimah. This is a great way to network, connect with like minded individuals as well as expand on your knowledge.  How can you be Conference Ready? MuslimahLifestyle brings you some practical tips to help you get the most out of your conference experience.

Lets cover the Essentials First!

Registration! 

• Register timeously so you can score the Early Bird Discount, as well as have enough time to process the relevant payment without difficulty.
• Carry along your ticket / proof of payment / registration information. Ensure that these are printed out or you have them easily accessible in digital copy to ease your on site registration

Dressing

• It helps to give some thought to your appearance and the dresscode expected at an islamic conference. Whilst wearing an the latest hijabi trends or the staple black Abaya are not essential, it helps to dress within the framework of modesty.
• Consider that Salah facilities are usually available, so your outfit should be salah compatible and easy to take whudhu in if you require. You might want to reconsider tight sleeves if its a long conference that overlaps salah times.
• Wear the right shoes, if your conference spans afew days, the wrong shoes will make you uncomfortable. Happy feet = happy people

Tech

Items with an * indicate optional

• Smartphone  and charger – For your social media, tweeting, photos. Ensure you have adequate space available on  your device
• Power bank that is fully charged
  *Camera (ensure you get media clearance if required)
  *Charger and a wall adapter. If you have a powersupply with extra ports its kind to share.
  *Selfie stick (This depends on the type of conference you’re attending. Avoid incessantly taking pictures of yourself)

Notebook and a Pen – Having your own notebook and favourite pen makes it simple. Carry 2-3 pens if you write alot. People usually forget to pack writing material, and you can opt to share your extras. |
(This is a great opportunity for good deeds)

Personal Essentials:

• Cash – You never know whether electronic payment facilities will be available. Having some cash on you is always a good idea.
• Glasses / Contact lens case  – Clear vision is priceless
• Wear a watch to avoid checking your phone mulitiple times – this  can be a little distracting for others
• Business cards for networking. Something to consider beforehand if you’re new on the scene.
• Painkillers for the stray headache. The last thing you want is to be trudging through hours with a headache.
• Snacks / lunch /meal . Enquire before hand if meals are provided. Its terribly inconvenient to have to widstand long hours if you’ve not allocated for the relevant meal. Protein bars, chocolate, trailmix, nuts or fruit are nice inbetweeners if you need a pick me up.
• Gum/mints – Fresh breath when interacting with people is a must!
• Tissues / wetwipes / small whudhu towel stuffed away in your handbag for salah is  perfect to avoid wet garments and the squelchy feeling of soggy shoes. We’ve all experienced this!

Pointers:

• Some conferences give you alot of freebies, so a fold up bag or plastic bag usually helps in this occasion.
• Hijab pins. We lose pins! Enough said
• Feminine Hygiene products – everyone hates surprises.
• Waterbottle. Hydrate!

Tips for Muslimah Unfriendly Venues:

Fold up istinja bottle + tissues.
Tiny spray bottle for whudu (100 mls should be sufficient)
Flat compact travel musallah. Fits in your pocket! If you’re in a fix, a sheet of paper or a shopping bag suffices for a sujood.
Halaal meal/sandwhich