So I’m headed down to Austin again for SXSW Interactive 2010.
While I’m there I have a lot of plans, but SXSW is all about being flexible, and plans are made but they are hard to stick to.
If this is your first time attending SXSW, here are some tips I picked up as a SXSW virgin last year.
- Don’t stress the schedule! - You will, inevitably, go through the programing and party schedule, and mark out everything you want to attend. But my advice is to just go with the flow. You will probably go to s few great panels, but you will also probably find yourself in panels that suck! When you find yourself in a bad panel, feel free to leave! Nothing is keeping you there.
- HYDRATE! – You will be out all day and into the night, so be sure to bring along a refillable water bottle so that you can keep hydrated throughout the day. This will really help in preventing you from getting sick, or tired easily.
- Stick to your guns – If there is a panel that you want to see, or an event you want to attend, just GO! Don’t worry about where your friends are going, or what event seems to be the most popular. I let some friends talk me out of an event that I really wanted to go to last year, and I still regret not going.
- Wear comfortable shoes/clothing – You might think that you will have a chance to go back to your hotel and change, but that might not happen. Make sure when you get dressed in the morning, that you are comfortable wearing that all day, and into the evenings events. Keep in mind that Austin is casual, so no need to stress what you wear, just be comfortable.
- Don’t be afraid to say hi – If there is someone you are looking forward to meeting at SXSW, just go up and introduce yourself. Don’t be intimidated by the people that may be surrounding that person. If you want to meet someone, just do it!
I hope to see you this year at SXSW. I will keep you all updated on the goings on here.