As a first time attendee at SXSW, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll make a few missteps, even if you’re lucky enough to have someone who’s been many times giving you pointers. You’ll choose the wrong session, get to an event at the wrong time when the line is already twice around the block, eat at the wrong taco truck, etc. I know I did. That’s why I thought I’d share a few of my top takeaways here.
This list is by no means exhaustive, and a lot of it is common sense, nevertheless, hopefully, you’ll find some value below.
- Question seeing people whos work you know well – This is probably the number one thing I would do differently next time. On the surface, it seems like a no brainer that if you’re a fan of someone’s work, then you’d want to see them speak. But unless they are talking to new material, you are likely to hear content from their book, podcast or show, that you’re already familiar with. The exception here being truly inspiring and inspirational speakers when you’re looking for a bit of fire. This was Brene Brown for me at the keynote. But I should have skipped the likes of Tim Ferriss, Michal Pollan and Douglas Rushkoff, (sorry chaps!)
- See things outside your core interests – This flows on from the previous point, but some of the more interesting and valuable sessions were ones a little out of left field. You’ll start to see cross-overs and patterns with your world you may not have been aware of before. These are a little harder to pick as you’ll likely be unfamiliar with the speakers, but a little research can solve that.
- Do some vetting – Again, I didn’t do as good a job as I could hear. Speakers are trying very hard to stand out, they have to, unless you’re a big name getting people to your session is hard. And because of that, some of the session titles and descriptions may over promise a little. So if something sounds compelling spend a sec doing some due-diligence on the speakers before the event.
- Panels are hit and miss – This was the experience of a good number of folk I spoke to. Don’t get me wrong, some were fantastic, others seemed as if very little preparation had gone into them. Perhaps because being on a panel is “easier”, you can let your fellow participants carry the conversation if you get stuck, there are no slides to prepare, etc. Whatever the reason, next time I’ll be doing some extra diligence on these. The difference that makes the difference here seems to be a
good moderator. - Anticipate the popular – If there is a well-known speaker, expect lines. Long, long lines. These are usually situated in the main ballroom, and if you intend to go, it’s worth lining up early. Also planning your prior session so that it’s close by and not on the other side of town. It’s also worth bearing in mind that some of the larger sessions will be put up on YouTube later. However, if you’re not the type of person who’s going to sit down to watch multiple hours of additional content post-event, it might be worth taking the hit and getting to the session in person. You can try and get an ‘SXXPress’ pass, (these are limited preferential fast-tracked entry spots you can reserve via the app the day before) but you have to be lighting fast as they literally go within seconds, so set an alert for 8:55 to make sure you’re ready to tap.
- Pack for the day – If you’re intent filling your day to the brim with activities and talks you won’t have time for much else. Coffee queues are long, food options are sparse around the main hall, and you don’t want to have to pop back and forth to your hotel, (unless you’re perhaps lucky enough to be staying in one very where the talks are held). You’ve also got to deal with tight restrictions on the size of the bag you can take into some of the venues, so have a think about what you’re likely to need and pack accordingly. I’m not going to go into a full breakdown, but my handful of must-haves were:
- Something for note taking (iPad+Pencil worked well for me)
- Refillable water bottle
- Coffee thermos, (this was awesome – coffee in the venues is terrible and expensive, so if you can stop somewhere better on your way in and get a flask for the day, do so)
- Charger, (you don’t want to be hunting for power points to juice your devices)
- Warmer/waterproof later, (weather dependent)
- Snacks (I ate more protein bars during SXSW that I think I have in my entire life beforehand).
- Self-care – It’s a full on event, and it’s easy to get run down and sick. Your immune system will likely be compromised, and you’ll be in rooms with thousands of people. Get some exercise in the mornings. Eat fresh vegetables where you can (not common in the BBQ/taco joints). Supplements are an excellent option to help bolster your energy and immune system. Take breaks from the partying, it can be tempting to go out every night, but one or two early evenings for R&R are advised.
It might seem like a lot, but hopefully, you can take something from some of my mistakes to make your SXSW experience a little smoother.