I love going to conventions and conferences, and I don't even goof off in the middle of them (not even the vices of Vegas could lead me astray). I take advantage of them whenever I can... afford them.

Honestly, I just wanted to write this Hub to sing my praises of conventions and conferences and the benefits of them to one's career goals, educational aims, and general knowledge and skills. There is something for everyone, and even if you don't think you'll get anything out of them, I believe you can if you try and don't just pass it off and useless.

I just attended Generation Engage yesterday, which was a nationwide event with workshops and presentations to encourage youth to get involved in politics and local government and issues. The idea behind it was to make them more accessible to students and other citizens because the event's creators believe that youth are not apathetic, but instead unsure of how to get involved.

I went because my work suggested I attend and support the students there (I am a City Year corps member and I work to encourage students to take interest in issues pertinent to their lives). As I am no longer a high school student, I didn't think I would find anything too mind-stimulating; I thought I had heard it all.

Instead, I was continually impressed by the intellect and knowledge of the students present. Many of them knew much more than I did about the topics we spoke about. Additionally, I learned a lot from the workshops as well, including how to inspire a community to action, and about a business development issue that I actually had heard nothing about before. I stayed longer than I had planned to, and by the end, I felt it was time well spent.

Earlier this year, I attended the San Francisco ACP Newspaper Conference for college newspapers. It was a fabulous way to speak to professionals in the industry and learn about writing and reporting, job searching, and more. My friends and I analyzed other newspapers and truly made some connections in the business.

I love conferences and conventions because you really get a chance tolook at a variety of information from a number of people you may or may not know. Everyone gets together and shares what knowledge they have to make others stronger. Attendees can learn more about the topics of interest and may find ways to get more involved. Job skills, contacts, and more can be attained; you may leave with more than you could have expected.

Another thing: all of the conferences I have ever attended were free. Generation Engage was fully funded by donations and other sources, and my newspaper conference was paid for by my school's journalism department.

If an opportunity ever comes around for you to attend a conference or convention, I would recommend you take the chance with vigor. You get what you work for at these events, so I suggest you put your heart into and be active in learning what you can from them.