Make sure to be up front about the commitment you expect. Try to scare off people who might not go the distance.
2. Set a Preliminary Budget
It is important to have an idea what kind of money you will need to raise. You will have to pay for at least the following to compete at world: OM Membership dues, World Finals registration fee, accommodations, food, transportation, props, supplies. The membership and dues information can be ascertained by looking at the OM International page. The cost will be anywhere from about five hundred to a couple thousand dollars (US) depending on how far you have to travel, where you stay, etc.
3. Find an Advisor
This is possibly one of the trickiest parts of the OM process. You will want to find someone who is interested in what you are doing, has the time to spare a few minutes every couple of weeks, is available for questions, knows about helping organize university related travel, and hopefully will be around for a few years to give your program some consistency in the years to come.
I would try to find advisors in common places. Ask faculty or administrators you respect and see often. Try to find someone related to at least one member's major or interested in the problem(s) you wish to solve. It can be a difficult task, but try to be patient and selective.
4. Set a Meeting Strategy
If your team has such widely varying schedules, and everyone is very busy during the school year, you might want to consider the "complete immersion" technique from Erica Nakimoto. Here are the details, in the fine college tradition of 'cramming:' "We knew that a long commitment was not feasible, so we opted for "complete immersion." We decided that we would solve over Spring vacation and try to meet once a week for refining and practice after that. Sometimes we did spontaneous between classes."
A common statement was that many decisions were made by phone or e-mail. This is especially true when one team has members from more than one school (this is possible when both schools have a membership). It is important to remain flexible if "complete immersion" is used.
If you think your team can handle meeting during the school year, you will probably feel less pressure when competition rolls around and have more done sooner. Here are some important hints in assisting your planning:
5. Set a Permanent meeting time and place
That way, anyone can come in and work whenever they are available. Set at least one permanent meeting time, and don't make a habit of canceling. It is impossible to set a different meeting time for every individual meeting. Set a permanent time and stick to it if at all possible. It also makes it harder for someone to forget a meeting if it is at the same time every week.
6. Trust your teammates
Make a task list and trust your teammates to do some work when you are not around. One person can not do everything. Be sure to try to delegate jobs and make the load even for all.
7. Raise funds for World Finals
First, you need to send in your World Finals registration fee. Remember, if you don't stay in the residence halls or OM provided housing, there is a hefty fee. Otherwise you will need room and board money for all. I have already touched on ways to raise money, but I will re-cap what ideas have been mentioned:
Ask around from different campus organizations who might support creativity.
If an organization, ask the student activities funding organization or similar body to contribute. Common requests are for travel, membership and registration fees to be paid.
Ask your state or local (regional) association for help or recommendations where to ask.
Fundraise (and recruit) at your local Regional tournament and/or State/Provinical/Country OM Association Tournament (be sure to ask the tournament director first!).
Try the good old candy sale if your college or university does not have a food service monopoly (meaning only one organization is allowed to sell food on campus).
Raising money can be very difficult, but OM does not have to be paid for out of pocket. Every college or university SHOULD pay for part of your expenses. The money is there, just be sure to ask many different sources. Be persistant.
8. Transportation to OM World Finals
Transportation needs will vary with the distance you need to travel. If you are far away and need to fly, don't forget to start shopping early to get low fares. You should qualify for discounts if you reserve your tickets far in advance.
If you are within driving distance, ask your school if school vans are available for use. If competition is after the school year, this option might be unlikely.
If you are considering renting a van or truck, be aware that many companies have a minimum age requirement of 25.
If you choose to charter a bus, rent out space on it. You may also try to hitch a ride with a local program which is going to World Finals. The only problem with this approach is that you have to wait and see which local teams qualify for World Finals.
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These pages are produced by, and are the responsibility of Sierra Nevada College Odyssey of the Mind, a chartered association of OM Association Inc. Since these pages are not reviewed by OM Association, Inc., which administers the Odyssey of the Mind program, it is not responsible for their contents. These pages should not be viewed as authoritative for any information that is not specific to SNCOM activities.
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