You are unpacking from your AAJA experience in Detroit. You have tips on all things journalism, job leads, a stack of business cards and the desire to stay connected to your journalism peers.

In the last several hours, I read several e-mails from AAJA Ford Fellows who wished they had all met at the convention together and cultivated relationships.

So I created a Facebook Group for the fellows and we now have nearly 30 fellows eager to network and discuss their AAJA experiences.

Here are some tips to nurture your new and established relationships:

• Social Media Meet Ups:  Develop your relationships virtually. The world is a global village. Join the Facebook Ford Fellows group. http://on.fb.me/nJmBjg

• Take Notes: As the days go by, you are likely to forget some or many of the conversations you had with your journalism peers. If you’ve scribbled on business cards and stickies, now is the time to transfer them and highlight the important conversations for follow-ups.

• Thank You Notes: If anyone has made an impression on you, offered to help in any way, please say “Thank You.” It’s an under-utilized gesture and one that helps to make you stand out from the crowd.

• Pick Up the Phone: Take your virtual conversations off-line. There’s nothing like hearing someone’s voice or seeing them on the other end of the communication line. Whether you use a mobile device, a traditional phone or Skype, make human contact.

— Furhana Afrid