Many of us active in planning WordCamp RI have been sharing thoughts on how to get the most out of your time at WordCamp (Sep 25 and 26 at New England Tech).  Today we’ll hear words of wisdom from around the world.

A great place to start, especially if this year’s WordCamp RI will be your first, is with California blogger Bridget Willard who has a website entitled  “BRIDGET WILLARD – YOU, TOO, CAN BE A GURU.  I’m not an expert; just opinionated.”  That title totally sums up her laugh-out-loud philosophy.  She may be funny, but her advice is down-to-earth.  Such as  “(I)f you want to learn, you can. Just because you’re not a website developer, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go. Many small businesses use WordPress to DIY their website, not to mention the fact that many social media professionals are themselves small businesses who blog.”  http://bridgetwillard.com/wordcamp-what-is-it-why-should-you-go/

Carrie Dils from Texas advises “WordCamp sites will post a schedule ahead of time and usually have a printed schedule at the event. Just pick out the sessions you want to attend and roll with it.”  Her blog has good information given in a light-hearted way.  You’ll be happy to learn that Dils firmly believes WordCamp is more fun that the camp you went to as a kid.  Read all her tips at  “http://www.carriedils.com/wordcamp-tips/.”

Alex King, from Denver CO says “Aggressively seek out people you want to connect with.”  He finds he often gets the most benefit from one-on-one conversations he initiates throughout the day.  You can read all his tips at http://alexking.org/blog/2010/07/06/how-to-get-the-most-from-wordcamp.

Canadian Al Davis has some really good, practical advice for planning your WordCamp experience even before the day of the event.  His overview: “WordCamps are open to everyone with an interest in WordPress regardless of ability, and that’s an important piece to remember. WordCamps are attended by many different people: from those who’ve just discovered the software, to those who make a significant living working with it. They all gather together under the same roof with a common goal in mind: to learn and to help others learn.”  Get his how-to-plan guide at http://torquemag.io/expect-first-wordcamp/.

Anil Gupta from India has some detailed insider tips.  And I mean detailed!  He’s figured out the best places to sit in each WordCamp session and has included a diagram in his blog post.  Read his thoughts on what to do before, during, and after WordCamp at https://pune.wordcamp.org/2015/2015/07/24/20-things-you-should-do-to-get-the-most-out-of-wordcamp-pune/.

And rounding out this list of good advice is Austin Gunter of WPEngine.com.  His blog post  http://www.wpbeginner.com/events/making-most-wordcamps/ covers a lot of ground: what to wear, what to bring, how to build your business, and more.

What about you?  Share your advice in the comments below.  We want this WordCamp RI to be the best ever!  Tell us how WordCampers can get the most out of their experience?