It’s been a week since my first full, IRL conference, and my mind is still exploding. Special thanks to the wonderful organizers from Revolution Conference for the diversity ticket. Without it, I wouldn’t have a renewed drive to learn as much as I can as fast as I can. I can’t stop talking about how much I learned, hence this blog and the webinar–Chart your Territory: how to make the most out of your conference– I’m giving June 7, 12:30EST. (I’ll post the link when I have it.) But this post isn’t about that; it’s a list of my top five reasons newbies should attend conferences.

Find your focus

I’ve been learning JavaScript since the fall, and I’ve really enjoyed its potential applications, but wow, was my mind blown by Guy Royse’s talk ML for Gamers: Dungeon Forecasts and Dragon Regressions. Up to this point, I knew little to nothing about ML, but now I know it needs to find a place in my life. His wasn’t the only talk that helped me to see a larger world of tech. A number of other great talks helped me to understand subtleties and nuances I hadn’t considered. I left the talks having a clearer focus of application.

Find your mentors

A mentor doesn’t have to be a life-long partner. A mentor can hand you the weapon you need with a couple of words of confidence and then send you on your way to slay the dragon. In the same way, a conference welcomes mentorship in every moment you have to network. Ask the people at your breakfast table about their favorite resources, stories, or experiences. I even got some great gardening mentorship. (Be prepared for a summer of tomatoes and carrots next to my laptop on Instagram).

Find your people

I was incredibly lucky to meet a Moms Can: Code member at the conference for the first time IRL. Together, we met a great group of women who were able to talk about the challenges we face as mothers or working while woman. I expanded my support network, and gained confidence by talking to women already in the field. And they rocked.

Prepare yourself for job-seeking

I’m not at the point where I’m looking for a job, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t approached by recruiters. This was a no-stakes game for me and really good practice. The next conference I go to when I’m job-ready, I’ll have a better idea of what to expect.

It’s a damn good time

I don’t get out much, so this was the best time I’ve had in months. Even my fellow introverts came out to have a good time. One of the best parts was the openness and honesty they all brought to the table. We talked code, life, and living, and I feel like a better person after meeting them.

If you have the chance to conference, take it. If you can’t afford it, don’t forget about it. I could never have afforded the conference and travel, but I emailed the conference organizers to see if they had diversity tickets. And I was lucky enough to build community to sustain me when I’m frustrated, celebrate my successes, and laugh with me when I have no idea what I’m doing.