2013 HEAV Convention Wrap Up -- Part 2: The Rolly Cart

Like with anything, there are just some things you have to see and experience for yourself!!  The HEAV Convention is one of them!

As a first-timer to the Convention, I read everything I could get my hands on (HEAV Facebook page, HEAV bloggers, etc.) in hopes of finding out everything I needed to know in order to have a great Convention.  I read about address labels, rolly carts and tennis shoes and thought I understood the logic behind everything.  However, experiencing it all was something totally different!

By Saturday afternoon, I had to stop and write all this stuff down because you're only a newbie once!  So here are my unofficial, newbie Convention observations that have nothing to do with the "serious side" of the Convention!

Rolly Carts

Lesson #1:  Don't laugh at the rolly carts...you're gonna wish you had one!!! 

When we arrived at the Convention Center to check in on Thursday afternoon, I laughed at all the women dragging rolly carts, rolling crates, rolling suitcases, and anything with wheels into the Convention Center.  (Think my words were, "They weren't kidding about the rolly carts, were they??")  From everything I read, I thought the rolly carts were mainly for the Used Curriculum Sale.  No way -- you need a rolly cart for the entire Convention, especially the Exhibit Hall!

We received soooo much free stuff from the Exhibitors--samples, books, DVDs, flyers, catalogs, pens, tote bags, etc.  Combine all of that with any purchases you make at the vendor booths and it makes for one heavy shoulder bag (and I even brought the biggest tote bag I owned)!  After an hour in the Exhibit Hall, my friend offered space for my bag in her rolly cart!  At that moment, all laughter and amazement over the sheer number of women with rolly carts ceased.  And, I'm now adding a Thirty-One cart on my Christmas wish list--gonna attend next year's Convention in style!  ;)

However, BEWARE of the rolly carts!!  Some rolly carts need caution signs on them...it's not the cart as much as it is the driver, though!  ;)  Rolly carts run over toes (personal experience), hit the back of your legs (personal experience), and they also block you from getting closer to look at items at the UCS (more personal experience)!  But, rolly cart moms are extremely apologetic and most are juggling multiple children plus a rolly cart, so I can't fault them.  Another thing to keep in mind is that some rolly carts blend in with the carpet.  So, when you're texting someone about meeting up and not watching where you are going, you can easily fall into one (personal experience)!  How embarrassing!  ;)

Also, don't be surprised if you find some things on wheels that could make the Guinness Book of World Records with the number of kids riding it in while other wheels lend a new definition to "wagon train"!  I had no clue that wagons even came with attachments to carry multiple kids = awesome!  But as a side note, wagons also make good rolly carts for the Exhibitor Hall and Used Curriculum Sale!

Ah yes, the Exhibitors ... will save that for the next "newbie" post later this week!