DrupalCon is well on its way, are you ready?
The famous Drupal conference will be held in the fantastic city of Vienna, where apart from the learning sessions you can enjoy networking in the most thrilling parts of the city, rich with historic and artsy monuments.
We are very excited to visit Vienna, and looking forward to hearing great speakers, sessions and enjoy the overall atmosphere. This year we are delighted to support and give back to the community by sponsoring the conference, so don’t forget to stop by our booth 🙂
So, let’s prepare you for DrupalCon Vienna
As experienced attendees, we know how conferences tend to be overwhelming if you don’t plan your agenda and activities.
For those who want to become a part of Drupal community, Drupal conference means a lot more fun and opportunities to meet people, develop ideas, raise visibility, and find inspiration.
And learn.
Stick around and we will share with you our best tips and tactics for making the most out of it.
For the start we suggest arriving Monday, just to be well settled in a hotel right in time for the first programs. Leaving, suggested by the organizers should be after the Friday sprints have already ended.
On conferences, the Drupal community gathers thousands of people from across the globe who use, develop, design, and support Drupal, therefore you really need to plan your session’s agenda thoroughly.
But, first:
#1 Start with packing
Vienna is a bit chilly in that time of September, so check the weather forecast and be sure you bring warm clothes and comfortable shoes, and other gear for rainy weather (umbrella is a must). Why comfortable shoes? Well, you will approximately spend 6 to 12 hours exploring the halls, running from session to session, and not to mention all those standing coffee breaks.
#2 Have snacks and water with you
DrupalCon can be intense and you definitely need snack boosters just to get through the day. Make sure you bring some brain food such as nuts and other healthy snacks. Vitamin water is also a fine choice for refreshing. There will be food available at the Con, or you can visit our booth for some chocolate snacks.
#3 Don’t forget your tech gadgets
Make sure your battery is always full at the beginning of the day on all of your devices. You will need a proper device to make notes, share tweets or even to take some short videos of your favorite speakers. So, don’t miss any chances and bring your power bank with you.
#4 Plan your Con session’s schedule ahead
Check the program and the schedule for each day. There is also the download option for your personalized schedule.
What should you focus on DrupalCon?
First of all, focus on events that can inspire you or help you to upgrade your programming skills regardless of whether you are an intern, junior or senior level.
There are events you really need to visit for the first time, starting from BoFs, where you can discuss a different kind of matter regarding Drupal or any other topic at all.
- Participating in Sprints program is allowed to anyone who is interested to be a part of projects and you can ask for a sprint ticket on the spot.
Don’t forget Social events, they will be held every night after the regular program. You shouldn’t miss this opportunity to get to know other Drupal community members better.
How do you figure out which sessions to attend?
You can make your plan based on other’s recommendations, session’s titles, or by searching the conference’s hashtag #DrupalCon on Twitter and see what pops up. On the other hand, if you are at DrupalCon for the first time, plan your agenda to attend most important sessions such as:
- First-time Attendees Social
- Prenote
- Driesnote
- First Timer’s Welcome Session
** Check the time and place once you log in to schedule**
There you will hear what you’re getting yourself into, some history of the project, but mostly the ins and outs of getting the most out of your DrupalCon, so it is essential that you plan your time and get there before it started just for better orientation of the place.
Afterward, you can choose some of your favorite topics to plan your sessions:
- Business
- Coding and Development
- DevOps
- Drupal Showcase
- Front End
- PHP
- Project Management
If you are on the junior level, our suggestion is to put Site building sessions first on your schedule.
Make room for PHP sessions also where you’ll find out more about Growing up with the PHP community and a lot more about PHP 7+: The whys and hows PHP debugging and more. If you are an ultimate PHP fan, you will find something useful while listening to PHPUnit for Drupal Developers session and 10 Ways Drupal 8 Is More Secure. Add the cherry on top with this year’s Drupal Showcase sessions.
** Drupal.org gives you a detailed list of sessions and speakers, check the website.
What about networking?
Except for inspirational speeches and workshops, networking is the second most important goal that you have to achieve on a conference whatsoever.
Make time and save energy for the DrupalCon social events every evening. On DrupalCon official website is an option for online social events appointments where you can organize an event and call everyone at DrupalCon.
It is a key form of social capital for achieving goals in both your professional and personal lives. Getting to know your peers, mentors, future colleagues or the people of the Drupal community, in general, is the most valuable activity of your time at DrupalCon.
If you feel more like you want a join to some group, just check event’s schedule and join them. Therefore, you’ll never miss a party. 🙂
- Don’t forget to collect all important notes, tips, and videos for your colleagues at home. Who knows, maybe you’ll be one of mentors or speakers next year
- Stay in touch with all the people you have met, and your Linkedin profile will be appreciated
If you are new to Drupal and keen for some more knowledge sharing and networking, you have to be prepared.
At the end, just have fun and enjoy your stay in Vienna 🙂
