While it’s pretty tempting to head for the beach, your hometown or to just hang around the ATX during spring break, I want to give South by Southwest the credit that it deserves and point out the major opportunities that come along with it. There’s a reason that people flock to Austin from around the world for this annual affair, in which the latest in music, film and interactive technology are debuted and utilized. It’s a chance to have great time, to check out the latest in your field, and to score some amazing experience and take advantage of pretty phenomenal networking opportunities. While you might think SXSW is all about music, think again. Panels this year include a presentation from IBM, a video conference, a workshop on startups, multiple events on business marketing and so much more. No matter what your major or field, SXSW surely has something great for you. And, you don’t have to limit yourself to just attending. Many of the panels need all the help they can get to handle the busy SXSW crowds. Scoring a mini internship during SXSW is very plausible and would be a great experience for any student that finds the right one. Along with these education aspects, SXSW in my opinion beats out just about anything else you could do during spring break for fun. Having been to the festival the past three years, I know that you can’t possibly go a South by without getting into some kind of exciting adventure. There’s free stuff everywhere you go, random concerts happening all the time, famous people strolling the streets and just endless chances to have a good time. 

Even if you don’t have a lot of money to spend at the festival, there’s no reason that should stop you from enjoying it. You can easily find out about free SXSW events through promotional websites, by following the local press, by asking around or by keeping tabs on some of the many SXSW social media accounts. Keeping track of these 10 days of chaos is a challenge that journalists and event organizers take very seriously, and they’ll do their best to keep you updated via social media. Along with following @SXSW, the official Twitter account for the festival, I’d recommend giving a follow to @SXSW_TopNews, @SXSWPartyList, @SXSWedu, @SouthByFreeNOMS, @360sxsw and your student news sources, @OdysseyUTexas, @TweetTheHorn and @thedailytexan. 
The people running all of them will surely be working round the clock to bring you the latest on festival happenings and updates. So, Longhorns, get out there and do work during the day, taking advantage of the amazing educational and networking opportunities that this festival has to offer. Then, party hard at night, with the many, many chances to have fun at South by Southwest.