Here are some of the highlights of the excellent advice:
It’s important to get out of your work bubble and see what other people do. — @nat
You can feel overwhelmed when you see all these speakers with years of experience. – @nat
Find what works for you when it comes to planning. Some people like to have a schedule plan where others like ad hoc dive into talks and workshops. – @nat@preetig
Talks are recorded yet think about who you’d like to hear in person. – @nat
Commit to ways of bringing back your knowledge to your team as part of getting budget sign off. – @nat
It’s good for your mental health. Take your mind away from your day-to-day job challenges and come back refreshed, willing to try again. – @nat
There’s joy in randomly and finally meeting someone in person that you’ve known for a while online. – @simon_tomes
TestBash provides an opportunity to step outside your comfort zone in a friendly environment. – @w4dd325
Make sure your phone has enough space to take photos. Take plenty of photos. Photos are history, which we can look back at later. – @preetig@simon_tomes
Get an Unlimited Membership for the certifications, and you’ll also be able to join TestBash with that membership. – @lhughes
If you’re in a group of people, leave a physical space for someone who might be on their own to join you. – @lhughes
How about you, what advice can you share for someone new to TestBash?
You don’t have to watch every talk live - they are recorded and with MoT Pro you can watch them later, so make time for the workshops as you wont be able to do them later.
Leave yourself room for the “corridor track” - networking and building relationships with other people attending.
I tend to have some questions in my back pocket to help me not freeze when I meet someone for the first time:
Where have you travelled from to be here today?
What have you enjoyed so far?
What are you looking forward to?
Who are you looking forward to meeting today?
Have you met [Name of awesome person in the vicinity]? I recommend chatting to them. [Attempt to make an introduction].
How’s the food?
You ok if I take a selfie? (This one I find super hard to ask, and tend to do so once I’ve had a good chat)
If someone is by themselves, I’ll first ask if it’s ok to interrupt and if they’re good to chat. They might be gathering their thoughts, taking notes, trying to find headspace or something else.
@simon_tomes Insightful as always, Simon! Really helpful tips for anyone stepping into their first TestBash especially the reminder to not get overwhelmed and to find your own rhythm. Thanks for sharing this!
Pay attention to how you’re feeling. If you’re all excitement and readiness to learn, that’s great! But if you’re feeling overwhelmed or tired, that’s okay too. There’s usually some sort of quiet space where you can take some time to yourself. Stepping out from the event space for a while is also completely fine - you’ll have access to the recordings later.
Try to talk to new people. Don’t be afraid if you don’t know anyone / many people there. A lot of others are in the same boat. Even if you see a group of people who look like they know each other, it’s usually totally fine to join them - just ask if you’re unsure.
This isn’t your typical work conference. The atmosphere is very open and friendly. Do what you can to contribute to that, and you should be fine
I would also suggest to take some short walks around the venue and neighbouring streets (there is really nice street next to the venue with local independent shops to browse) if you feel you need some fresh air or walk break. I do it quickly after lunch to reset my brain, get some small detail from local shop or ice-cream.
Came here to say the same thing. It can be quite an intense and overwhelming couple of days. Some people with thrive in that and some won’t (myself included).
Don’t be afraid to take a bit of time to do something quieter. Maybe get a coffee and read your notes or listen to a talk more passively. Recharge and be ready to get engaged in the next workshop, activity or actively listening to a talk.
Ooh another thing. In the past I’ve worked out my entire schedule in advance but don’t tie yourself to it. My favourite talk from last year wasn’t one I planned to attend.
Really helpful tips for anyone stepping into their first TestBash especially the reminder to not get overwhelmed and to find your own rhythm. Thanks for sharing this!
