By Maya Coe

The whirlwind of adjectives that appear in my mind when I go to describe my experience at my first APP Conference is blindingly overwhelming. Ever since my return from Vegas, every time I’ve been asked to talk about my trip I am at a loss of words. So now I’m going to take the time to finally sit down and spill the details of my wonderful experience at Conference.

Let’s back up to how I was even able to attend. I became aware of a scholarship being offered by a group of piercers generous enough to help send those in need to Conference, and so I applied. Soon after, I was accepted as a recipient and my Conference experience began. From the moment I stepped off the plane, I was in a state of constant motion, both physically and mentally. At first it was a bit nerve wracking to be amongst so many people I had only read about (and even written reports on), but as I began to meet others the feelings of uneasiness quickly dissolved. Everyone was friendly, relaxed, and accepting. If you at all ever found yourself wanting company it was not a problem, and if you found yourself just needing a bit of solitude, again, not a problem. This being the valuable outcome of being surrounded by people that are just as socially sensitive as you.

Being an apprentice, I opted to take full advantage of my trip and attended 13 classes and two meetings. These classes included information on jewelry, aftercare, anatomy, Statim usage, medical risk assessment, how to prevent cross-contamination, and ways to use tools. I also renewed my bloodborne pathogens. The amount of information I was being taught was stunning. The anatomy classes I attended were instructed by Elayne Angel, and it felt totally exhilarating to be taught by one of the original piercers that helped shape our industry. I also felt privileged to receive instruction from David Vidra being that this was his last year teaching courses at Conference. (He is particularly inviting to learn from due to his ability to mix humor with otherwise dry and heavy subject matter.) Aside from the more technical classes, I also treated myself to Fakir’s class on making effective piercing rituals. This class touched on a spiritual level, and is part of what makes piercing so appealing to me. And again, being instructed by such a legend of the industry was very inspiring. I left every class I attended with something new, which has impacted my career much more than if I had only studied the subjects via books and the internet.

When I was not in class you could usually find me relaxing at the little bar in the casino of Bally’s with my beer and cigar, soaking in my surroundings or leisurely chatting with whoever was sitting next to me. If not there, I was getting as much rest as I could! I only explored outside of the hotel a few times during my stay, just to get fresh air and a change of scenery or bite to eat. (One of these nights included the scholarship dinner, in which all of the recipients got to meet the people who helped us get to Conference, and when all 25 of us piled in a van and went off to eat delicious Ethiopian food.)

I often reiterated the following statement when asked how I was doing while at Conference: I’ve never felt so exhausted yet awesome in my life. Not only was I learning and networking, but I was also making new friends and experiencing Vegas for the first time—and the ability to network with piercers from around the world was something I felt extremely appreciative of. It’s safe to say that I feel I have benefited in a HUGE way from attendance. I wouldn’t trade my time at Conference for anything, and I look forward to attending many more.