After wishing, hoping and dreaming of attending SXSW for years, I finally made it this year! It was, as expected, the most fantastic conference experience of all time. Between the fun and laid-back atmosphere of Austin, and the insane amount of social media brilliance in attendance, I have never felt more excited and energized in my entire professional life. Throughout my first week-long SXSW adventure, I made note of a couple of tips for fellow newbies. While there were a few tiny hiccups, I could not have been happier with my first SXSW.
1. Plan, plan, plan: The schedule of panels and meet-ups is vast and overwhelming; add the extensive list of parties to the mix, and you’ve got a scheduling nightmare. I would recommend mapping out your schedule before getting to Austin, taking into account the distance of the hotels and the potential for crowding. Always pick a couple of panels per time slot just in case one is at capacity.
On the same note, RSVP for parties early. Most of the RSVP times close on or before the first day of SXSWi, and while often they don’t even look at the RSVP list, better safe than sorry.
You can use tools like Evernote and Plancast to help you keep track of notes, links and plans for both the conference and the parties.
2. Throw out all of your preconceived notions of walking: Living in Washington D.C. for five and half years has given me some pretty finite rules for walking. It may sound silly, but ask any urban dweller and they will tell you that you stand to the right on an escalator if you don’t want to walk, and you get out of the way if you need 
to stop for any reason — otherwise you will get run over.
SXSW is an eclectic mix of people from around the world who are there to learn, chat and have fun, so they are going to walk slowly, stop wherever and whenever they want and congregate in the most inconvenient of walking paths. So, throw out the rules, take a deep breath and embrace the crowds.
3. Network, but don’t be a douchebag: The first day of the conference I attended a panel on “how not to be a douchebag at SXSW.” While funny, I couldn’t believe that people would actually defy the rules of common sense and sour the amazing SXSW environment. I was so wrong.
I attended panels where people interrupted speakers in mid-talk to challenge them with their “personal” experiences. I watched as attendees screamed smart-ass remarks at groups if they dared to slightly veer off topic and have a conversation. I watched in horror as people pushed business cards and pitches at speakers or audience members. Do not be these people.
There are plenty of scheduled meet-up times to network, and while SXSW is a powerful place for networking, start with an interesting conversation before descending into a “me, me, me” spiral of promotion.
4. You don’t have to pay for food or drinks: The array of companies who are looking for your attention is insane, and they are willing to pay for it in the currency of food and drinks. Companies will hire food trucks, set up tents, organize massive parties and even stand on corners to feed you.
Word of mouth is usually the most effective way of finding these locales, but you can also follow Twitter feeds likes @SXSWfreeNOMS or @SXSWParty to help guide you. Sure, there are lines, but the food is tasty and I can’t tell you how many cool people I met while waiting.
5. Don’t spend all day inside panels: SXSW is playfully referred to as the spring break for social media dorks, and it is so true. The parties and playgrounds organized throughout the week border on the brink of excessive, so enjoy them.
With all the amazing speakers and panel topics, I felt like it was impossible to leave without missing some fantastic nugget of knowledge. But in retrospect, I also feel like I missed out on some cool experiences outside the convention center walls. Next year, I am working towards more of a balance.
Single Girl in a Working World 