Ahhhhhhhh. It's that time of year again: the clocks are about to spring forward, people in the colder climes are starting to show skin again, and Justin Bieber just turned 12 - no, sorry, make that 18. The biggest rumbling, though, is happening in the ranks of hipsters, techies and rockstars the world over, a collective buzz not unlike the sound a colony of African killer bees makes before striking, or maybe the soundtrack from Inception.
I'm referring, of course, to South By South West, the year's greatest interaction-cinematographic-music fest. SXSW, or "SouthBy" to those in the know, is a lot of fun - almost too much fun, to be honest. 2010 was my first showing, and I had a thoroughly fantastic time: lots of "networking" (drinking), "panels" (sobering up) and "parties" (also drinking). In 4 short days I was exposed to more new tech and ideas than I could shake a stick at, met dozens of fabulous people (some of whom are now close friends), and generally had a fantastic time. Other than catastrophically awful cell phone reception, a boring keynote from @Ev, and a general sense of being overwhelmed, it was great and I'd recommend it to anyone. For a full rundown of my 2010 SXSW experience click here.
So now that you know you should go (and it's not too late, find tickets here. The same cannot be said of hotels ), what do you need to know? Here's a SXSW-er's shortlist of what you need to know and do to have a great time:
1. Don't network.
Networking is SO 1990s! Think of SXSW as an inspiration fest, where your job is to...well, get inspired. Inspiration naturally leads to meeting people and making friends, which Tony Hsieh has shown pays off in the end. So have fun, be inspired, and you'll have a great time.
2. Talk to everyone.
OK, so even though I said don't network, that doesn't mean clam up either! The vibe at SXSW is so open and friendly that it would be a crime not to talk to everyone around you. Whether it's in the coffee line, out on the lawn, in a panel, or shaking your booty at an afterparty, speak up and say hi - you won't regret it.
3. Be selective.
It'll be really tempting to try to see everything. SXSW is an overwhelming barrage of panels and events, and as a first-timer you'll do your darndest to attend as many as you can. This can get a little frustrating - not to mention tiring - and even though Foursquare and Twitter make it easy to keep a finger on the pulse of what's hot, I recommend spending a little time before your trip picking a shortlist of panels and events you're interested in that won't need make you need to buy new footwear.
and finally...
4. Have fun!
Sounds corny, I know, but it really is true. It's easy for conference goers to take themselves too seriously while trying to "get the most out of the experience", when SXSW is really the one event where everyone expects the opposite. So don't disappoint!
Ahhhhhhhh. It's that time of year again: the clocks are about to spring forward, people in the colder climes are starting to show skin again, and Justin Bieber just turned 12 - no, sorry, make that 18. The biggest rumbling, though, is happening in the ranks of hipsters, techies and rockstars the world over, a collective buzz not unlike the sound a colony of African killer bees makes before striking, or maybe the soundtrack from Inception.
I'm referring, of course, to South By South West, the year's greatest interaction-cinematographic-music fest. SXSW, or "SouthBy" to those in the know, is a lot of fun - almost too much fun, to be honest. 2010 was my first showing, and I had a thoroughly fantastic time: lots of "networking" (drinking), "panels" (sobering up) and "parties" (also drinking). In 4 short days I was exposed to more new tech and ideas than I could shake a stick at, met dozens of fabulous people (some of whom are now close friends), and generally had a fantastic time. Other than catastrophically awful cell phone reception, a boring keynote from @Ev, and a general sense of being overwhelmed, it was great and I'd recommend it to anyone. For a full rundown of my 2010 SXSW experience click here.
So now that you know you should go (and it's not too late, find tickets here. The same cannot be said of hotels ), what do you need to know? Here's a SXSW-er's shortlist of what you need to know and do to have a great time:
1. Don't network.
Networking is SO 1990s! Think of SXSW as an inspiration fest, where your job is to...well, get inspired. Inspiration naturally leads to meeting people and making friends, which Tony Hsieh has shown pays off in the end. So have fun, be inspired, and you'll have a great time.
2. Talk to everyone.
OK, so even though I said don't network, that doesn't mean clam up either! The vibe at SXSW is so open and friendly that it would be a crime not to talk to everyone around you. Whether it's in the coffee line, out on the lawn, in a panel, or shaking your booty at an afterparty, speak up and say hi - you won't regret it.
3. Be selective.
It'll be really tempting to try to see everything. SXSW is an overwhelming barrage of panels and events, and as a first-timer you'll do your darndest to attend as many as you can. This can get a little frustrating - not to mention tiring - and even though Foursquare and Twitter make it easy to keep a finger on the pulse of what's hot, I recommend spending a little time before your trip picking a shortlist of panels and events you're interested in that won't need make you need to buy new footwear.
and finally...
4. Have fun!
Sounds corny, I know, but it really is true. It's easy for conference goers to take themselves too seriously while trying to "get the most out of the experience", when SXSW is really the one event where everyone expects the opposite. So don't disappoint!