I think 1-on-1s have their uses, but at the EA conferences I went to this Spring, I did find myself wishing that there was more space for unstructured group conversations (e.g., possibly physical spaces where you could go and sit if you were open to conversations with strangers). 1-on-1s can be very intense, and since my aims were somewhat vague, I think I could have gotten value out of meeting and chatting to more people casually.
I think 1-on-1s have their uses, but at the EA conferences I went to this Spring, I did find myself wishing that there was more space for unstructured group conversations (e.g., possibly physical spaces where you could go and sit if you were open to conversations with strangers). 1-on-1s can be very intense, and since my aims were somewhat vague, I think I could have gotten value out of meeting and chatting to more people casually.