What to Bring to a Meeting?

Let's be honest to ourselves - we attend a Toastmasters meeting so that we can learn better presentation techniques and also present our speeches so that these can be evaluated by those who can point out our flaws and suggest how we can better present our future projects.

But, your Toastmasters-ly enjoyment can often be dashed by things that can be judiciously avoided...if you take the necessary precautions.

Trust me, some clubs have a habit of forgetting to provide enough pens, not having sufficient writing paper, refreshments that only just enough for the Club officers...and the list goes on.

To keep things simple, I prefer to lump these "things" together as "Things to Bring:

Things to Bring:

1. Yourself (this should be rather obvious)

2. Pen & paper (a working pen mind you!)

3. Meeting Programme (come on! Just printing one wouldn't suck the printer dry)

4. The Club's contact number (save it into your phone)

5. Your Introduction (somehow, even after emailing the club many times, the TME/VPE simply forgets to print it out and then ask you to write out your Intro just as the meeting is about to start. Arggghhhh!!!)

6. Light snacks (some clubs are so miserly they provide only raw vegetables at their meetings. Shocking but true! Plus, there are clubs that conveniently forget our multi-culturalism, multi-religious participants and lavishly prepare a buffet full of pork, beef, non-halal food etc. I feel like strangling the SAA sometimes!)

7. Water (a source of life...and also one to oil your parched throat before presenting a speech/evaluation. Don't hope that the club stocks up on water!)

8. Namecards (how else will the participants remember and contact you especially after listening to your power-packed presentation??)

With your meeting arsenal well-stocked, you will definitely enjoy the meeting!