5 Ways to Get Ready for WordCamp

Ok, just two weeks left before WordCamp Seattle 2013. We hope you’ll be joining us Saturday June 8th for a full day of amazing WordPress talks. For those of you getting prepared for the big day, we’ve put together some helpful hints, good-to-knows, and insider tips just for you.

Quick aside… If you weren’t able to snag a ticket before the event sold out, put yourself on the wait list, follow @wordcampseattle on twitter, and be ready for people to post with tickets available. Last year, with a total attendance of 300, we saw more than 25 tickets exchange hands in the last two weeks before the event. With a sold out crowd of 500 this year, be vigilant and you may be able to snag one in these final two weeks.

1. Spend some time preparing. WordCamp is not comprehensive, so if you are attending to learn a specific thing that’s not addressed directly in an outlined session, you may need to prep yourself a bit. Whether that’s setting up your own local WordPress environment so you can mess with code at the event, or reading up on a speaker’s background so you can ask a great relevant question, preparing just a little bit ahead of time really helps.

2. Plan your day. Check the schedule, and plan a general course of action for the day. Don’t be afraid to attend sessions in different tracks… there’s a lot of overlap between them. You can read through all the session descriptions if you want to know more about a session, maybe even reach out to the presenter on twitter ahead of time and ask them about their talk. With 3 sessions to choose from, attending the right talk for you is often what makes the event stand out.

https://twitter.com/ahockley/status/338811854228971520

3. Take the time to connect with others. Unlike other conferences that are filled with big egos and “experts”, WordCamp conferences have a community atmosphere rooted in people of all skill levels coming together to share stories, experiences, and best practices. Throughout the day there will be unparalleled opportunities to connect with bright, motivated, talented people. Take the time to meet people, network, and share your passions and projects.

Pro tip: Check out the list of attendees and see if there’s anyone you know or want to connect with ahead of time!

4. Visit the Happiness Bar. The Happiness Bar is a help desk staffed with WordPress geniuses there to assist you with your WordPress questions. They can help you figure out a bug with your WordPress site, point you in the right direction for an upcoming project, or just chat with you about what you’re working on. In other words, free help! Weeeeeeeeeeeeee

5. Go to the after party! Some of the best opportunities to learn happen when sharing a beer with a colleague or new friend. WordCamps or no exception. WordCamp after parties are well known for being great social events where you can connect with anyone and everyone, follow up with speakers you saw during the day, and chat with new friends long into the night. Learn more about the after party.

Any other tips you have from attending a Wordcamp? Leave a comment!

2 thoughts on “5 Ways to Get Ready for WordCamp”

  1. Robert Nelson

    I would concur with the previous posters and would only add go to at least one session which you think is above your WordPress skill level, take notes(videos of the talks are usually available with in a short time span after the Word Camp)) so you will know what to ask the “Genesis” bar volunteers if you get overwhelmed. This is my4th WC.

  2. Pingback: Getting ready for WordCamp Seattle @ TapDancingSpiders

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