The night before the conference, I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to make the most of it. I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to connect with anyone who was also there, whether it was the other WiCS attendees, the recruiters, or anyone that I had the chance to talk to. I was scared of feeling out of place; that I wouldn’t belong even in an environment that was designed to make me feel exactly the opposite of that.
However, as the conference unfolded, these fears quickly subsided. Looking back now, I realized I took away three main things from the conference:
- Push yourself to talk to new people. This might seem daunting at first, but stepping out of your comfort zone often leads to the most rewarding experiences. By pushing myself to talk to strangers, I was able to get invited to afterparties and find out that Chinatown had a night market going on, which turned out to be one of the most memorable parts of my trip. It was also through these conversations that I had the opportunity to connect with both like-minded and diverse individuals who come from all different backgrounds — whether it was location, post-secondary education, or industry. Even though it felt uncomfortable at the moment, and there were times when I had awkward conversations, the benefits far outweighed them and allowed me to become a more confident individual coming out of the conference.
- Embrace the sense of community. As someone used to the competitive and sometimes cutthroat environment that is always ever so present at the University of Waterloo, I was surprised by how welcoming and community-oriented everyone was at the conference. The day that we arrived, someone in our group lost their phone in an Uber to the hotel from the airport. Instead of letting that person handle it alone, everyone in our group offered to help — whether it was helping them hold their stuff, calling the Uber we were just in, or just offering moral support, despite just missing the early check-in ribbon that was offered to the first few attendees that arrived at the conference centre first. That moment stood out to me as a reminder of the genuine kindness and the sense of community that was prevalent throughout the rest of the conference, teaching me that GHC wasn’t just networking or showing off achievements — it was about being part of a supportive environment where people looked out for one another.
- Enjoy the conference! It was super easy to get caught up in the constant pressure of networking, job searching, and making the most of every second that I had at the conference. However, looking back, what stood out most wasn’t the number of people I spoke to or the LinkedIn connections I made. Instead, it was the moments where I was able to truly immerse myself in the experience — whether it was trying new foods in Chinatown, talking to new people while making dozens of bracelets to give away to friends and family, or just walking down the streets of Philadelphia. Thus, although networking and pursuing professional opportunities is an important part of the conference, make sure to also take time to embrace the experiences that make the conference unique.
The reflection above is an excerpt from a longer article that I’ve written that details my experience at GHC in full, including what I did to prepare and how I approached each aspect of the conference. I hope you find it useful and that it inspires you to make the most of your time there!
Link to full article - Reflections: My Experience at the Grace Hopper Conference