We Have SXSW Interactive in the Bag
At this point the Monkee-Boy team is made up of SXSW veterans. Most of us have been in the trenches of Interactive for 3+ years and lived to tell the tale.
This year, we want to give a little peek into what kind of gear our team is packing, as well as protips to help you get the most out of your week.
James Fleeting - SR. WEB DEVELOPER
I try to make the most of SXSW by balancing interactive, film, music, and volunteering as Theater Manager on the Film Venue Staff. This means keeping what I carry to a minimum. No bag, laptop, books, or anything else that will just slow me down. My lifeline during any event is the iPhone, mainly for Twitter and my schedule. During Interactive I basically live in Evernote on the iPad Mini. What’s the one thing you never leave home without? For me, it’s the Nintendo 3DS. No better way to pass time while waiting in line for a film than some Mario Kart or Super Smash Bros. My goal is to keep what I carry simple and pocket-sized. My pro-tips for conquering SXSW are travel light, have a flexible schedule, and if you don’t get to do everything — remember the next one is only a year away.
Adam Lefton - Content Strategist
SXSW interactive is about two things: learning and survival. My bag helps me do both. For me, it's important to have lots of note taking options. I prefer to go low-tech at panels — notebook and pencil. This means I never have to worry about batteries dying. I've got a book for down time (taking little breaks is essential to making it through the day), my Callahan's hat for bad hair days (and hometown cred) after a night of very little sleep, and my trusty headband in case I'm late for an event and need a speed boost (it shaves 2.5 seconds off my 40 yard walk dash time). Of course, SXSW is also a great opportunity to meet smart people, and I want to make a good first impression. That's why I never leave home without my trusty I FIX WEBSITES business cards. Other content people love those!
Aaron Bramwell - CEO + Founder
I like to travel pretty light. You never know when a session is going to be packed and wrangling a big pack of non-essentials can make a packed room feel even tighter. Additionally, as much as I would like to say I plan ahead, my schedule always takes crazy twists and turns, and keeping my bag small allows for a lot of flexibility. My favorite part of my bag is my iPad Dodo case because it has a pad of paper to jot notes down when I don't feel like typing. Plus, I can also easily pull stuff up online during presentations. The rest — well, those are just must haves.
Sarah Higley - Front End Developer
During SXSW, I know that whatever I put in my bag in the morning will need to be carried through the entire day. I’ve learned to keep it light — no laptop, just the always necessary phone, a mini notepad, and a good compact camera. For those who have not committed to memory the maze that is the Austin Convention Center, a compass can be very useful, even with a building map. I use CapMetro for transit in and out of downtown, with my car2go card as a backup.
Nikki Clark - Creative Director
SXSW Interactive is all about learning for me, so I take my trusty Macbook Pro everywhere for taking fast notes. You'll never see me without my phone and headphones though, which make the train ride downtown a lot more interesting. It's also great to have a caffeine stash to help get you through lots of panels, and my go-to is Guyaki Yerba Mate. Lastly, it's essential to have a big bag to carry all this in, and to collect all of the free swag!
Stephanie Cain - UX + UI Designer
During SXSW I’m constantly on the move and on my phone. An extra battery pack is a huge help to keep me going until I have time to stop somewhere long enough to charge. I always pack a water bottle since the conference is kind enough to set up water stations throughout the festival. For headphones, I default to Apple EarPods. The built-in microphone allows me take calls while walking across town. My biggest protip, though, isn’t pictured — a car2go card, just in case I wake up late or miss the last train home.