Most students don’t realize what they’re missing out on when they’re offered the chance to go to a convention. Students should take advantage of opportunities like the National Student Press Association or Future Farmers of America. When going to these conventions, they provide experiences that go beyond the classroom. Students attend workshops and sessions that teach skills you don’t always get in a school setting.
The best part about going to these conventions are when after going to many sessions, you are able to sit down with your advisor and discuss. After going to five sessions, even though Carley Ladie and I said we were only going to go to two, it was a great choice for us. Going to these sessions, we learned what we could do better as newspaper editors and also what not to do. After taking notes, we sat down with our advisor and talked about ideas. It always feels rewarding when you’re able to get together with your group and share ideas with each other. Every convention we attend makes our publications better. We learn new skills. We discover trends. We get critics on our current work.
Getting to travel with your classmates is a great way to strengthen your relationships. For the publications, going to these conventions are a rewarding experience. We get to meet new people from all over the country and it is also a great way to help students grow. Meeting new people grows your network, which can open doors for future career opportunities. Being around passionate students can push someone to take their activities more seriously. When going to these conventions, you are representing your school and community. It’s important to not only go to sessions but meet new people because it shows that you actually care about more than traveling just to miss school.
On the topic of traveling, you also get opportunities to explore new places. At these national conventions, you are able to go out on your own and be independent. Of course, there’s a limit to being independent when it comes to school trips. You would have to notify your advisor when and where you were going, so they would know where to find you if something were to happen. There was also a curfew of 10 p.m. when our advisors would come to our rooms and check-in on us. I think that allowing students to venture out on their own is a great way to become independent. When I went to my first NSPA Convention in Kansas City Missouri, I walked with three other girls to the convention halls and restaurants. We relied on GPS and our sense of direction a lot. We were not only able to explore new places but also strengthen our bond.
Conventions are a great way to learn outside of the classroom, I think everyone should go to one when offered the chance.
