Unfortunately, due to other commitments, I won't be able to attend SteemFest 2 :(

I'm sad to announce this. Last year's inaugural SteemFest was genuinely one of the best weekends of my life.

But I'm excited to follow along, and I know everyone who goes will have a phenomenal time! I'm going to be following along closely as all of you blog about the amazing event!

---

For those who didn't have the chance to attend last year, I want to give you a few tips/ideas to think about as you prepare for SteemFest 2.

1 - Don't be shy - introduce yourself!

Whether you're brand new to Steemit or you've been blogging on the site since 2016, you're about to network with a bunch of people who you've likely never met in person. Sometimes—especially for those who are introverted—this can be a scary thing.

What I learned from last year's SteemFest is that there are a lot of people in the same boat. Everyone is a bit nervous, but when you push beyond that and introduce yourself to other attendees, you'll start to realize why this community is so amazing. There are a lot of good Steemians out there.

2 - There's a good chance you will have incorrect assumptions about the faces behind the usernames

There are some incredibly well-known Steemit users who don't often share photos of themselves. When you meet these users in person, there is a good chance that they will look completely different than what you assume.

The good news is, your nametag will feature your username; therefore, other users have a good chance of recognizing you based on your blog content or what you've done for the platform.

3 - Come with ideas

Do you have opinions on how Steemit can be better? Bring them! In my chats with decision makers and witnesses (such as @riverhead), often they approached me asking for my feedback or suggestions of how to make Steemit a better experience. @ned has explained many times before that he and Steemit Inc. have their ears open when it comes to feedback... so bring some constructive suggestions.

4 - Make a plan, but be flexible

When the agenda is released, it's a good idea to highlight some of the sessions you are interested in attending. With that said, be prepared for flexibility. At last year's event, there were a few instances when I realized a session was offering something different than what I expected (whether good or bad). I also met some fascinating people during the opening reception, and made a decision to attend their presentations.

5 - Make genuine connections

I can't say this strongly enough: There are some incredible people in this community. If you're a consistent Steemit user, you probably have already gotten a glimpse of this from reading blog posts and learning about other Steemians' lives. You're about to be surrounded by these people in a face-to-face setting.

While it can be tempting to move fast and try to meet as many different people as possible, I'd also encourage you to take time to get to know individuals. Although I've only hung out with @blueorgy for three days of my entire life, I consider him a friend. I also had the chance to learn a lot about @cryptos (he also taught me a lot that I didn't know about the Steem blockchain). @wingz, @allasyummyfood @heiditravels @shenanigator @sharingeverybite @andrarchy @steemrollin are just a few of the many people I had the chance to have genuine conversations with.

6 - Don't be intimidated by the fact some people already know each other

If you missed SteemFest last year, you may notice that some Steemians already have a bit in common because they have spent time together. Don't let this intimidate you. Remember that attendees are headed to this event to meet new people, network and have fun. Everyone who attends deserves to be there, so make sure you put the effort in to introduce yourself.

7 - Get your rest beforehand... sleep will be limited

I'm not going to lie: you probably won't sleep much. And that's a good thing.

I recall not getting to my hotel room until about 4:30 a.m. at last year's event (and I definitely wasn't the last one partying). Yes, your body will hate you a bit for depriving it of sleep, but it's worth it. The community we're a part of is incredible, and you want to make sure you're making every moment count.

(With that said... make sure you wake up in time for sessions/activities, because those are important as well!)

8 - Have fun

This is the Number 1 Rule. Have the time of your life.

I can't wait to hear the stories.