If you’ve taken the plunge and put down serious cash for a SxSW badge, congratulations and welcome to what will be the most exhilarating or exhausting (depending on stamina) four days of your life. Here are a few tips on how best to get through the said four days and get home with a head full of memories, photos and contacts!
Accommodations
If you didn’t book your hotel room 7 months before, you are probably up the proverbial creek. Booking your accommodations any less than 7 months before will probably mean an Airbnb 45 – 50 minutes away or renting a van and sleeping in it. Rooms at most of the hotels in Downtown Austin sell-out in October of the previous year! You could hope for cancellations. Check Twitter and Craigslist for those with last minute cancellation plans and have a ticket/hotel package to sell. But then, hope is not a strategy.
Also consider asking your friends for room-mate suggestions and there is always tweeting for a room-mate.
Make a List
SxSW has a pretty nifty mobile app that lets you create your own schedule of panels, book signings and solo speakers you want to see. A word of caution: don’t judge the session by its title, stick to the sessions with speakers always wanted to hear and meet in person. Having said that, get there early. The A-list speaker sessions fill up quickly.
Beginning last year, conference organizers began curating sessions around central topics and themes in specific geographic hubs. For example, the Hilton, located across the road from the convention center, was where 98% of the sessions on startup-related topics took place. It’s best to pick your hub for each day and attend sessions there as it’s virtually impossible to attend consecutive sessions located in two different geographic hubs even if they are adjacent to each other.
Make a Plan but Let Serendipity Rule the Day(s)
Now that your list is made, be prepared to go with the flow. One of the most difficult things to get used to at SxSW is the frenetic pace. If you can put your FOMO on hold and be in the moment, you will have a richer experience. Promise. The panels are great and so are the parties every night but you never know where a chance conversation while in line for coffee or a session can lead you. Startups ought to consider hanging out at the lobby of the Austin Hilton and/or Driskil. You never know which internet/tech celeb you’ll run into.
Shoes and Sunscreen
That Austin sun will get you every time. Even on a hazy day. Apply sunscreen in the morning and have a bottle with you.You’ll thank me for it. Wear comfortable shoes. You won’t believe the amount of walking you’ll be doing. Finally, some of the rooms are kept at Arctic temperatures so dressing in layers is a must. Translation for the men: bring a jacket/hoodie/cap. Translation for women: wedgies, cardigans, jackets and scarves. If you have a cool brief case that isn’t a back-pack or a messenger bag, find me onsite and I’ll give you a $25 AMEX card.
Juice Packs are a Must
Even though the good people at Chevy have had charging stations at the convention center for the last four years, it’s always a good idea to bring an extra battery and/or charging cables. iPhone owners are best served to purchase an external battery pack for the trip. Alternatively, Mophie always has a booth at the exhibit area from which procrastinators can purchase a battery case.
Last year, I brought only my iPad to the conference and it worked out just fine. So unless you absolutely need to, leave your laptop at home. But remember to charge your devices every night.
Have Fun
There are a multitude of parties, happy hour soirees, etc. Last year, there was even a manicure station where attendees could schedule pampering sessions by appointment! Remember to drink lots of water. A hang-over in Austin is just as painful as it is in Atlanta. finally, remember to have fun.
