Recently I was able to attend a nation wide conference in Kansas City, Missouri. The conference is called NCYC, which stands for National Catholic Youth Conference, and it is held every two years for high school students throughout the United States. Attending this conference was an awesome experience.
I have never really liked being in large crowds, and going to an event like NCYC was a little intimidating, because there would be more than twenty thousand people gathered together. I was really nervous about going on the trip, but I am very glad that I decided to go, because since it is only every two years, and only for high school youth, this was the last opportunity I would have to go as a participant.
At the conference there were musical performances, nationally known speakers, Mass, activities, booths, and great sense of being in a community with thousands who share your beliefs. At the conference, you meet a lot of people from all over the country, and you trade little souvenirs with them to take home with you. The group I went with brought carabiner key chains as our trade items. I received a bag full of about thirteen carabeners, and I traded most of them for trade items that other groups brought with them. It was a really neat way to meet new people from different states.
Another thing I liked about the conference were the different booths that were set up. These booths were set up to advertise Christian music groups, books, volunteering organizations, vocations opportunities and colleges. One of my favorite booths was one at which I was able to write a letter to a priest who is currently doing missionary work in Jamaica. I thought it was really neat to be able to write to him, especially since I think I might want to do some sort of missionary work after college.
In light of speaking of future plans, I also visited some of the college booths that were present at the conference. There were several universities that had sent representatives to the conference, but the only college I really looked at was Quincy University. I had never heard of Quincy University before this conference, and still don’t know much about it, but I am interested in checking it out after speaking with a representative from the school.
Overall, my trip to NCYC was an awesome experience that I would encourage others to try, because NCYC is an experience that can truly change your life.