SXSW Sydney - survival guide
My SXSW Sydney 5 minute survival guide:
You will miss things, a lot of them. Don't stress it. There is always more.
Notes are invaluable, my preferred method is pen/paper. But also phone/photos.
Find one or two things that are "must see" each day. Other than that walk into random sessions or things that catch your eye.
Take downtime and pace yourself.
Most importantly: Talk to people!
So, how did I come up with this list? Experience!
It’s not uncommon for sessions to fill up fast and for there to still be a line when a session starts. Also, the people who attend this have a weirdly diverse set of interests, so be prepared for the strangest sessions to fill up.
My first two days were spent vacillating between too few and too many notes. A few quick notes on the salient points and a photo to cover any complex slide that was shown ended up working for me.
After having missed out on a session (see #1) I ended up walking past a session about data in government and thought “why not”. It was way better than I expected and I ended up in a few more thanks to it.
Don't forget it's a music festival as well. It's looking a lot lighter than last year but it still makes for some long days and late nights. A siesta can make a world of difference.
The people who attend really make the event, and they’re easy to talk to. You already have something in common with everyone else there, you’re attending SXSW!
Other than that, have fun every one! Looking forward to seeing you all there.