Your Quick Guide to Autodesk University 2018

The time has come once again and the most exciting time of the year is upon us, #AU2018!

Whether it’s your first time or your seventh, if you want to survive the week, then follow these simple steps.

Start Your Morning Right

Mornings at AU are either your favorite time or worst time at AU, but regardless, it’s important you start them off right. I don’t care who you are, everyone loves free food, so be sure to stop by first coffee and morning bites. You can casually grab a bite while making connections with other attendees. Don’t worry, if you’re not a morning person and socialization scares you, you can do that too! There’s a place for every engineer here to get their morning going with a nice buffet.

If you don’t make it to First Coffee and Morning Bites because you were out too late the night before enjoying Vegas, there are still ways you can get up and ready to go. If you fancy coffee, there’s a Starbucks right before you enter the convention center and other coffee shops throughout the Palazzo and Venetian. If you’re on a budget, Tuesday through Thursday there will be drinks and snacks throughout the hallways where classes are held to give you a little extra boost when you need it.

No matter how you do it, starting off your day right is essential to enjoying your days at AU.

Check-In

Registration at AU is as simple as a few clicks of a button and a few brief words with one of the friendly staff at the registration counter. After you’re all checked-in, you’re free to start exploring and learning. If you have any questions, you can always stop by the customer service desk right next door to the registration booth – they’re happy to help!

Deck out Your Badge

What would the world’s best CAD conference be like without a little bit of conference swag! Right in the main hub area, you’ll find bowls filled with all sorts of fun things you can put on your badge to show where you heart really lies (with Autodesk Inventor). Of course, there will be tons of other free things all over AU so be sure to take advantage!

Follow the Signs… and the App!

AU can be a little overwhelming, even for those of us who have been here before. Along with the maps, signs, and banners spread all over the Sands Expo here in Vegas, Autodesk University has an app! The app will serve as your digital guide for when you’re lost and need to figure out where you’re supposed to be. Between the plethora of classes, presentations, and exhibits, chances are you’re going to need to rely on the information all around you to get your bearings. Don’t fret, it’s all easily accessible at your fingertips.

Relax

At AU, you’re going to feel like a small fish in a large ocean. That’s okay! You don’t need to meet everyone or make it to every event. As I’ve previously claimed, AU is “heaven for engineers,” and that can be a lot to take in. Between the large crowds, the newest and coolest technology, and all the walking, even the most energetic engineer can get stressed out.

Take some time to center yourself in one of the closed-off workspaces in the hub, play some ping pong, or if you time it right, pet a puppy in the dog lounge!

What You Don’t Want to Miss

If you signed up for a ton of classes that you are now realizing conflict with other events you really wanted to go to, don’t fret. Not that we’d advise skipping class, but if you think you’re missing out on something better, you won’t get detention for cutting class.

You likely don’t want to miss the opening keynote if you’re one for a party. Take advantage of all the free food at AU, it’s not often that you get delicious buffets every day of the week. If you want to cap your night off with more AU after spending the day in classes, then there’s plenty of things to do. On Tuesday, you will want to catch the community reception in the Exhibit Hall, on Wednesday, you’ll want to make it to the Advance Party at the LINQ, and on Thursday there’s the most famous event of all, the Farewell Happy Hour. There’s plenty of time to mix business and fun here at AU, and enjoying your time is the most important thing. Just don’t stay out too late because you have to wake up the next day and do it all over again!

What do you make sure to do to survive Autodesk University? Let us know in the comments!