Feels Like Home

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By Natalie Bulger
nbu@the-institute.org

I’ve been a first time attendee at multiple conferences and it has not always been the best of experiences. You can get lost, feel like you’re not in the in-crowd and that “first time attendee ribbon” makes you feel like you stick out like a sore thumb. Yet at HCCA’s CI I decided that I would wear my 1st Time Attendee ribbon with pride and just see how things played out… and I couldn’t be more thrilled. I have never felt more accepted. It’s like coming home to a family reunion where you are the new in-law and everyone is so excited to meet you and teach you all of the family history. The technology enables you to connect with people on multiple levels and the atmosphere and set up encourage networking and engagement. The staff are warm and receptive. The passion for this field can be felt radiating from everyone here and the nerves of those of us who are stepping into sessions and networking for the first time dissipate with the first hello and handshake. Sometimes you leave a conference tired, worn down, wanting to take another week off from work when you get back into town. Instead, I’m already looking forward to taking these tools back and sharing them with co-workers and passing on the knowledge and excitement to the next person. I cannot wait to come back next year because these are not just colleagues, these are not just comrades in compliance, they truly feel like family.