It’s almost here, party people. WordCamp Los Angeles is, like, less than 24hrs away and I couldn’t be more terrified about the whole thing! Kidding, kidding. A lot of effort and planning has gone into making this thing happen and the community has really rallied around us in support of those efforts and that has been awesome!
You guys are going to love WCLAX!
Some of the tips below come from this post on WPcandy.
Are you prepared?
Well. Are you? To help everyone get ready for what’s going down this weekend, I’ve made a list of things to note:
- For Saturday and Sunday eat a good breakfast. We’ll have coffee, water and tea at the venue Saturday but no snacks.
- T-shirts will be handed out after 3pm.
- Power outlets and strips will be limited, so plan accordingly i.e. bring extra batteries, or an external charger, limit wireless usage etc.
What should I bring?
Your beautiful brain and yourself of course! There’s going to be a ton of content to cover and while you may find that you want to bring all of your electronics, you really only need to bring your phone and a notepad; I’d say a laptop/tablet isn’t actually necessary and can even be cumbersome to lug around all day and could hinder your ability to socialize and network. Just my two pennies there.
- Smartphone
- Laptop
- Chargers
- Pencil and a Notebook in case the other items die on you
What do you want to know?
I find that attending these events is similar to drinking a milkshake too fast. It hurts and can be discombobulating. That is, there’s going to be a ton of content to cover on both days. Really. Ask yourself “what do I want to learn” and start jotting down questions; ask them of your speakers, peers, strangers and more. Having a strategy or an idea of what you want to know can help you get more out of your WordCamp…
That’s great, but how do I get the most out of this thing?
What makes WordPress such a great platform really is the community that drives it. Anyone who is a part of this community will tell you as much. If you’re new and just coming into it, you’ll find it’s unlike most other communities you’ve been a member of. So jump on in, the water is fine!
That said, to get the most out of a WordCamp is simply to partipate
- Make a new friend. Say “hello!’ Lots!! Meet new people, talk about what you do and ask questions! People love questions! I’ll even tell you how I keep my hair just-so.
- Find a friend who’s going to be there. Carpooling is the bees knees
- Ask questions of your speakers
- Download speakers’ presentations
What else do I need to know?
Participation in WordCamps events, for attendees, sponsors, speakers and volunteers, is an elective endeavor for most. People participate for a variety of reasons: to learn; to connect; to give back; to share… If you see a sponsor or a speaker at the event, be sure to give em a quick ‘thank you;’ they, along with our attendees and speakers make these events possible.
Very excited about this, but we get lunch, right?
Yes, we’ll serve lunch at 12:20pm on the patio.