BarCamp Nashville 2010 (Or, How To Succeed at BarCamp Without Really Trying)

 I learn a lot from BarCamp Nashville every year. In the past, that's been obvious from the studiously taken notes from the million great sessions I attended. As a Type A personality, I never wanted to miss anything by skipping out on a session.

But this year was different. Since I was working as a member of the crew, I couldn't plan each block of the day as I would have liked to. Although my inner high-school-overachiever freaked out a little, I was forced to relax and have a new kind of BarCamp experience--and it may have been my best one yet.

For any other obsessive-compulsive BarCampers out there, here are my tips for mellowing out but still getting the good stuff from the day. It's definitely how I'll be approaching all future events. (Hey, PodCamp will be here before you know it.)

1. Participate


OK, so this one requires a little effort up front, but it's totally worth it. Being on the planning crew for the first time finally made me realize what they mean by "unconference." Writing the content leading up to the event (not to mention the manual labor starting at 6 a.m. on the day of the event) gave me a sense of ownership over the day that pushed me out of my comfort zone. And since BarCamp is by the people, for the people, there are plenty of chances to feel that way. If you volunteer, speak, sponsor, tell a friend, bring some food, you have a stake in BarCamp. You're not a spectator--it's yours.

2. Play it Loose


Keep at least a few blocks of time totally unscheduled to give yourself time to relax and meet new people. And instead of planting yourself in one session and then the next, don't be afraid to sample. For the first time EVER, I wandered from session to session, getting a few minutes of each. If you have aspirations of speaking, it's a great way to compare speaking and presentation styles. With most presenters putting their notes on Slideshare (plus our own video and audio) you can always catch up on anything you missed.

3. Talk to the Sponsors


How is it that I have never spoken to a BarCamp sponsor until this year? The sponsorship list for BarCamp reads like a who's-who of the Nashville tech community--it's a seriously missed opportunity if you don't stop by. Even if you say nothing else, just thank them for being a part of the event and ask them about what they do. What could be easier?

4. Give In To The Goofiness


There was a robot (thanks, Centresource). And an octopus (thanks, CarlSays). And zombies (thanks, bizarre brains of the BCN crew). And the bar opened at 10 a.m. You just gotta go with it.

5. Follow Up Online
This is the one area where it's great to indulge any Type A tendencies to the max. Remember all the new people you meet--take notes if you have to. The follow up with them on Twitter, LinkedIn, wherever you prefer. Check out the slides for the presentations you missed. Ask questions of presenters, sponsors, organizers. Blog, Tweet, spread the word. Make the most of it beyond that day.

(Thanks to awesome BCN10 photographer Kerry Woo for access to all the great photos!)