Summary: Discover tips for maximizing conference joy and networking at PASS Data Community Summit after 17 years of attending. Dive into hallway track insights!
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In 2009, I was a baby DBA who had just started blogging and connecting with the SQL Server community on Twitter.
I was excited about databases! I was excited about the community!
So when I heard about the Quest Software contest (1 blog or 1 video = 1 raffle entry) and the prize, I was over the moon. I went into overdrive, churned out three times the content of any other contestant, and I won.
I won a trip to the PASS Summit.
This week, I’ll attend the PASS Data Community Summit for the 17th time. And I’m still over the moon.
My first year
The Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS) and the PASS Summit itself had been around for 10 years by the time I got to attend.
My then-partner had attended before, and knew a good handful of people there. Together we were able to set up interviews during the Summit, talking with SQL speakers, authors, experts, and all-around Really Big Deals. (I’m fairly certain they could all see the stars in my eyes as we talked.)
I also got to meet a whole bunch of #SQLFamily who I’d met and chatted with online. I got to see Seattle for the first time. And of course, I got to go to keynotes and luncheons and sessions.
I’m less inclined to interview people now, but the Summit is still the same joyous event for me now as it was then. (Big shout-out to Xtivia for sending me last year and this year!!)
Boots on the ground
So, what’s the Summit like? It’s a little bit like summer camp, for grownups.
- Pack your bags, leave home, and stay away from home? Check.
- Reunite with all of your friends from last year? Check.
- Learn and do activities from experts in the field? Check.
- Fun stuff, like the SQL Run, kilt day, and games night? Check, check, check.
I believe there are a lot more panel discussions – and fewer canoes – than there would be at a summer camp, but that’s just the details.
Something else that bears resemblance to camp is that the instructors are extremely approachable.
The speakers and exhibitors are almost universally friendly and open, and happy to answer questions. The speakers especially are folks who give of their time freely to teach: in person, in writing, and in videos online.
How-to
Many, many people have written at length about the best tips for “getting the most out of your conference”. Here, though, is my personal attendee guide:
- Wellbeing: Sanitize your hands. A lot.
- Maintenance: Never miss a chance to charge your phone!
- Networking: Most important is the “hallway track”; if you can spend 20 minutes talking tech one-on-one, do that!
- Learning: Sessions are second most important, and you should pick the ones most interesting and/or relevant to you.
- Notes: You’re going to meet dozens of people and learn hundreds of things, so be prepared to write things down!
Summit sessions are incredibly worthwhile. Even so, some of the best learning I’ve done has taken place one-on-one, in the hallways between sessions.
If you’re at the Summit this year, stop by and say hi! Maybe together we can find some hallway track inspiration.
Note: While I do use AI to help me with inspiration, all of the writing above is 100% original, custom-made by an actual human: me.