Here are the big things to get ready for your first meet.
1) Read the rulebook for the organization and make sure everything is in line. Pay special attention to things like equipment and attire. Everyone will require a singlet but some federations are super-specific about things like t-shirts, socks, shoes, and even underwear. You also want to note what is allowable in the raw division as this varies. Belts are always good, some allow wrist wrap and others don't, some allow nothing on the knees some allow knee sleeves and some allow knee wraps.
2) Make sure your performance of the lifts is legal. Particularly things like SQ depth, pause on the BP, and no hitching in the DL. Depending on how you have been performing the lifts your contest maxes may be alot different than your "gym lifts".
3) Learn the commands for each lifts (squat, rack it, down, etc...). Start having someone at the gym give you commands for some training lifts. There's nothing worse than getting SQ red lighted after you squatted it easily because you rack it too early.
4) Incorporate pauses into all your lifts in training. This is related to the commands. For every SQ sets walk it out and hold it for 2 sec. before squatting, pause for 2 sec. before racking at the end of every set. For BP, unrack it and hold it at the top for a second, take it down and pause, then press it and hold it at the top for 2 sec before racking. For the DL, hold the last rep of every set at the top for 2-3 sec and make sure you haven't developed a habit of letting go of the bar on the way down. We tend to go on "auto-pilot" at the meets, so it's good to have those pauses before and after the lifts built into your "auto-pilot" program so you don't accidentally jump a command.
5) Open light. Your opener should be something you can triple even if you spent the night before puking. Take something you think will be heavy but unlikely to miss for your second. For your third, take a jump up based on how easy or hard your second attempt was. Remember your goal for the first meet is to get a total to try and beat next time.
