introvert | TEDActive Blog

A good experience can be elusive. It takes the right combination of people, the perfect ambiance, a memorable moment and a touch of spontaneity. At TEDActive, good experiences are abound. Why? Because we create the perfect environment with room for you to play and experiment and we fill the room with the smartest, coolest kids. It’s up to you to add the special sauce — your charm! Below, our veteran community shares their favorite tips help you have the best TEDActive experience (and these tips are so good, they could apply to any event or social gathering). And if there are any repeats or variations on a tip, you know they are super important.

1. Only ask people what they are passionate about and not about their job. — John Marston.

2. Immerse yourself in the spirit! — Norberto Amaral

3. Roll with everything, don’t analyze. — Rachel Langdon

4. Do not miss a speaker (to work out, sleep in, make a call) because it will end up being the one everyone talks about. — Felicia Kamriani

5. Meet that interesting person by asking them what they love to do. — Kat Haber

6. Embrace the giant badges and don’t be taken off-guard when someone calls you by your first name. The undertone of hospitality is a key takeaway. — Chris Carpenter

7. Remember that nobody is a pure extrovert or introvert. We are all somewhere in-between… in my experience TED Active provided a warm and safe environment to explore my own personal limits – and stretch them a bit… — Chadburn Blomquist

8. Dive head first into all of the new ways to greet one another. When we’re from all over the world, we can handshake, hug, kiss each other 1, 2, or 3 times, bump fists, bump elbows, or hip bump! do it all! — Kelsey Rhodes

9. Bring out as much of the extrovert in you as you can … all the time, for the whole week … sounds like an effort, but I guarantee it will pay off!!! Start by striking up a conversation with EVERYONE… we are ALL interesting people! — Jose Fernandez-Calvo

10. Bring something to share, whether it’s tangible or not. (And lots of business/calling cards) — Jennifer Arzonetti

11. Book an early flight in and a late flight out. You won’t want to leave! — Brian Smith

12. Take a moment at the end of each day to note down the insights you have gained and promise yourself to engage in even more conversations with new TEDsters the following day. — Henrik Ahlen

13. Put. Down. The PHONE! Look up, look around, look into things, and dive into any experience and opportunity you see. Serendipity abounds at TEDActive! — Grace Rodriguez

14. Remember that Thursday morning is pajama/bathrobe day! It’s a good idea to bring your own, in case the hotel doesn’t have robes! This is an IMPORTANT one! — John K. Bates

15. Use every opportunity to introduce yourself with a handshake. In buffet line, coffee line, registration line, gift line, demo line, beanbag buddies, ski line…. introduce yourself to everyone with a badge… pretend your going to summer camp when you were 10… — Aaron Tang

16. Try to get *some* sleep. Miss conversations late at night in order to be coherent during the day. I have to do this, as I can’t cope on less than seven hours sleep. — Stephen Collins

17. Eat, eat, eat! The food and snacks have historically been very healthy and very good. You will be amazed at what a week of healthy eating and snacking will do for your brain as you put it through its paces. Share that good food with strangers…sharing good meals with interesting people is a real treat. — Chris Carpenter

18. Don’t be or allow wallflowers. — Douglas S. Coleman

19. There is NOTHING you can do that can prepare you for your first event. Just be present and enjoy every moment. — Jon Yeo

20. If there are fireplaces, great conversations, music and laughter will ensue. Stick by one. — Ash Donaldson

21. Get as much sleep as possible BEFORE the one week! — Martin Venzky-Stalling

22. Don’t worry about planning too much during TED week. Lots to do and better to just roll with it on the fly while there… — Aaron Tang

23. Find your locals (those from near to where you live), to make ongoing connections; possibly more importantly, find those from far away and make friends from the other side of the world. — Stephen Collins

24. Shut off the phone. Use every opportunity to start a conversation. Stay at least until Saturday. — Stefan Krueger

25. TED Activator’s are remarkable people – asking “What do you need?” could lead to interesting adventures for you and them. — Rahim Sajan

26. Bring a simple gift (or two) which you have a connection with (you made it, or it’s a unique local product), gift wrap and have ready. Opportunities will appear. — Douglas S. Coleman

27. Learn new dance steps and teach some too! — Yashraj Akashi

28. Pack light. Some years the TED goodies have been ‘overly generous’ and I’ve been glad to have an empty bag. — Ash Donaldson

29. Bring little, expect to leave with lots. — Aaron Tang

Dave Casey taking 3D photos of TEDYou speakers.

Jenny Zoe Casey smiling in the Palms Springs sun.

Each person experiences TEDActive differently. Whether you’re an artist or techie, a morning or night person , a foodie or bookworm, an introvert or extrovert — the beauty of TEDActive is that there’s something for everyone. The experience is what you make of it. We talked with veteran attendees Jenny Zoe Casey and Dave Casey from Orlando, Florida on how they tackle TEDActive:

Would you define yourself as an extrovert or an introvert? How did that shape your TEDActive 2013 experience?

Jenny Casey: I’m more of an introvert. But I have better social skills.

Dave Casey: I’m more of an ambivert. I crave social interaction but I can also be introverted.

JC: I don’t really need as much social interaction. Almost none would be fine with me. One reason for that is I have get a sensory overload. If I have 3 or 4 conversations per day, that’s fine. I feel like it would be nice if I connected with more people but that’s not what my capacity is.

Dave talks to Chris Anderson during the Q and A session.

What were your favorite talks this year? What were some of your favorite moments?

DC: Larry Lessig and Amanda Palmer. Amanda Palmer inspired me to go out and buy a ukulele.

JC: Which he’s been playing quite a bit.

DC: It was also really good to reconnect with people we’ve met over the years.

JC: Getting to see friends is really special.

DC: This is our fifth year going to TEDActive.

JC: We didn’t go to the one in Colorado. But we’ve been going ever since it was in Palm Springs. We decided to go because Dave was curious about it.

DC: I had a friend who used to attend the Monterey conference back in the day and he had great things to say about it. And when the talks came online, the Craig Venter talk really intrigued me. We started looking into it and realized that there was an option that was accessible to us. Got in, got addicted, started doing TEDx’s.

JC: And it’s been insanity ever since.

DC: Viral.

JC: My favorite moment was actually not a moment but an experience. It was the TEDx workshop that happened on Sunday. I am really introverted but I actually feel that organizing a TEDx has stretched my social self because I am so passionate about it. I felt so happy being among all those other TEDx organizers and it was such a beautiful day. Another highlight that stands out in my memory, was having early access to the theater, because we were donors this year. Not having to worry about getting a seat is a relief.

DC: Have you ever watched the Big Bang TV show? You know how Sheldon has a spot?

JC: Think of me as a more humble Sheldon.

DC: If someone else sits in her spot, it doesn’t go well.

JC: I like things to be predictable.

DC: We sit in the main theater, front left couch.

JC: That’s pretty important to us.

DC: Jenny sat on the left side of the couch. I sat to the right of her. The whole theory of trying to sit next to somebody different each time is not really a constructive way to meet folks. For me, it’s a lot easier to strike up a conversation while we’re waiting in line for food. It’s harder to converse with someone sitting next to you while Aida is playing.

JC: I also feel like just by going, I’ve already stretched myself quite a bit. So once I’m there [in the theater], I kind of deserve to do what’s more in my comfort zone.

Jenny makes her way for her seat! Dave says it’s one of his favorite photos.

Jenny, it’s interesting that you choose to go to TEDActive, even though you say you’re an introvert. What are your reasons for going?

JC: I go because I am someone who loves ideas. I always have been idea-oriented. I could always stay home and watch the livestream, but at TEDActive, there’s such a feeling of joy. I don’t dislike people. I like people; I’m just not outgoing. The people who go are wonderful people. I think that there’s a difference between watching the simulcast in your living room and watching the simulcast with a group of other people who you like and respect and who are all really happy to be there. Although I don’t partake of a lot of what happens at TEDActive, I still like to feel immersed. I can still appreciate it even if I’m not socializing like a lot of the other people are. I think there are other people there who are like me, who really like to be there, but they don’t do the whole thing. We talked to someone else who said that TEDActive was a real stretch for him, but it was right on the edge of what he could handle. He said it was worth it though.

DC: In Susan Cain’s talk, she basically said speaking was really a stretch for her. It was worth it, but it didn’t mean it was easy. She needed a lot of downtime to recharge.

JC: It’s kind of a tricky thing. As an introvert, it’s not that I don’t need human contact. It needs to happen. But it needs to not overwhelm. In a way, TEDActive is a way for me to have some connection with people that are my tribe. That’s really important. But I just take a portion of it. I don’t eat the whole pie. I eat one slice.

DC: Socializing is a bit easier for me. But I get off to a slightly slower start than Jenny does. I’m usually going to bed by the time she’s getting up.

JC: I’m more of a morning person.

DC: I’m more of a night person

JC: I actually get sleep. I get up super early, hang around for coffee and wait until it’s time to go sit in the theater. Dave’s always dashing in at the last minute. During the breaks, I don’t talk to people. I go back to the room to take a break, then I get back in position to do it again. Dave dives in again at the last minute.

What were some of the most valuable conversations you had?

DC: Some of the conversations that really stood out to me were about music and people’s passions. That seemed to be the theme this year. Last year, there seemed to be an underlying theme of failure and fear of failure. I take a lot of 3D pictures during the course of TEDActive, and I was handing out View-Master reels this year from last year’s conference. One of the TEDFellows does stereoscopic photography as well. We were being 3D nerds and geeking out about that during the last evenings.

JC: For me, I think I’m not so focused on the content of the conversations. It’s important for me to connect with people I’ve met previously. To have it be more about finding out how they are. Not necessarily talking about deep subjects, but more about being with them. I did have at least one really important conversation with another TEDx organizer. We talked about how to work with sponsors which is something that I didn’t understand very well, but she did. I met David Gurman [TEDFellow and artist] through another friend. I’m an artist and I’m interested in some of the same things he is. We got to know each other a little bit.

What did you take away from TEDActive?

JC: One takeaway is that TEDActive will supplement my reading. A really important part of my work is understanding current thought trends. The kinds of things TED brings to light. TEDTalks are vital in helping me to shape my thinking. It really supplements the reading that I do throughout the year. I feel like it’s really essential for me and the work that I do for me to participate in TEDActive.

DC: When we’re not working, we organize TEDx. Being able to bring that experience back here is great. We play different roles, of course. Jenny is a far more organized person than I am. She basically does all the work.

JC: Dave generates the ideas that create the work for me. Then, I implement them. I’m just joking. We talk things over a lot. We have an annual TEDx event and monthly events. TED is a huge part of our life together. We talk about stuff that comes out of TED between the two of us. It really informs our life together in a big way. We’re always talking about the ideas, the talks, how we should do TEDx better and stuff like that.

What is your advice to someone going to TEDActive for the first time?

JC: Going with Dave is huge. My advice would be to go with a close friend that’s more extroverted than you are. In my life in general, having Dave go places with me is huge. My other advice would be to always honor yourself and don’t feel inadequate if you’re not a social butterfly. Respect who you are and accept who you are.

DC: Watch the Susan Cain video before you go, especially if you’re an introvert.

JC: It’s a validating talk.

DC: I think some things that people complain about – the lines for the food, the lines for the coffee – are actually good. It’s one of the best parts of the day. It’s hard to have a conversation when you’re sitting in the theater. When you’re stuck in line next to somebody for 10 minutes, you can have an interesting conversation. I met someone, who I’m probably going to collaborate with on a project that I’m excited about. It wasn’t a planned activity; it was just waiting in a line. The lines can be a friend, if you see them as an opportunity.

Will you be at TEDActive2014?

DC: Oh yes! We’ve already signed up.

JC: We can’t wait!