Denver, Colorado: Traveling as a Young Professional

Denver, Colorado, also known as the “Mile High City”, was my destination for the annual SIOP conference in 2025. The city is known for the Rocky Mountains, great ski resorts, the Red Rocks Amphitheater, and most surprising to me, one of the biggest airports in the US.

But, before I arrived in Denver, I first had to head to LaGuardia Airport. I had a Wednesday flight at 12:00 pm, so I left my house at 8:00 am. At first I was worried we may get caught in rush hour, but we somehow manage to sail through traffic and security.

Now inside, I had about 2 hours until boarding. I did a little window shopping and had to grab something from Dunkin. I found myself perched up at a table, phone plugged in to charge and sun landing on my face just right. Already, my airport experience was setting the right tone.

Classmates turned Friends turned Colleagues

The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, better known as SIOP, hosts an annual conference for top experts, researchers, and practitioners in the field of industrial-organizational psychology. Each year, SIOP picks a different US city that embodies energy and culture to bring this, otherwise fairly niche, group of IOs together. Places like Philadelphia, Austin, Seattle, and New Orleans (in 2026) have headlined SIOP since its inaugural year in 1986.

As a graduate from Hofstra University with a Masters in Industrial Organizational Psychology, I had a tight cohort of classmates (a cohort being graduate students of your year and your track) but also a wide network of alumni. And, in more than one case, I’ve been fortunate to work with my former classmates, who had become my friends…. and who now are my colleagues.

3 Tips for Business Travel as a Young Professional

SIOP is one of those events that brings together people from all stages of their studies and careers. So when flying from New York to Denver, I absolutely did run into classmates and coworkers also attending the conference.

Three tips for traveling on business:

Build in buffer time. Leave early and get through the airport without stress. Plan ahead and stay calm to set the tone for the trip.

Bonus tip: My coworker and I were in the last group and waited for the rush to clear since we didn't have carry-ons to worry about stowing. Until you get those business class tickets, I recommend this strategy.

Practice “constructive” autonomy: You’re free from the walls of your office…or the outlet in your living room. What you do with this freedom will shape how not only the conference will go, but also how the next week of work will go. For better or worse, your boss probably didn’t move that deadline, and your colleagues back home are probably wondering what your “working elsewhere” status means.

Bonus tip: Be present, wherever you are. In a session? Bring a hardcovered notebook and jot down the stand out insights to bring back to work or to post on LinkedIn. Catching up on emails? Set aside 20 minutes and lock in.

Make the small talk. Running into classmates and colleagues at the gate and throughout the conference made every part of the trip more enjoyable. Don't underestimate the value of those in-between moments, they’re all part of the customer experience journey.

Bonus tip: This can help your “in office” relationships, too. Take the chance to introduce yourself. Once you start looking, you’ll see these chances come up more often than you think.

Business Meets Leisure

The SIOP conference had and was everything. Great hotel, a conference center that felt fun and easy to navigate, and a companion app that made scheduling sessions simple. We’ll call all that the business side.

On the leisure side, my classmates had us covered. We hit Buckhorn Exchange, a local spot worth knowing about, and ended up at a karaoke bar that was exactly what a conference night out should be.

Work, community, and a little adventure. That's the sweet spot.