As I was flying back to Chicago, I found myself wondering, Should I write something about PyCon this year? The answer came to me instantly—and loudly: YES! All caps. With a huge exclamation mark.
This was my second time attending PyCon, and honestly, the experience was just as exciting as the first. In a nutshell, it’s a gathering of Python lovers from all over, industry pros, hobbyists, and educators coming together to share their love for this amazing programming language. But beyond the talks and workshops, what really makes PyCon special for me is the community. I love walking up to someone and asking, “How did you get into Python?” Whether they use it at work, in personal projects, or just for fun, everyone has a story, and I learn something new from every conversation.
But there’s something I’ve noticed both years I’ve gone: a lack of undergraduate students.
Now, this isn’t because PyCon doesn’t support students. Quite the opposite! They offer discounted tickets (students pay about a quarter of what regular attendees do) and financial aid. So why aren’t more students showing up?
Speaking from personal experience, as an international student, it took me a while to even find out about PyCon. I only heard about it through one of my favorite podcasts, Real Python (seriously, go check them out!). Back then, I was at a community college, just getting started with programming, and had no clue what working in tech actually looked like. That curiosity is what pushed me to go.
I brought a few friends from my CS club, and the four of us went together. It was overwhelming and amazing. I won’t lie, some talks and conversations completely went over my head. I had just finished an intro Python class, and suddenly I was listening to people explain the internals of the Python language or demo advanced libraries I’d never heard of. But I kept showing up. I kept asking questions. Because that’s what I was there for: to learn.
So here’s my advice to any student reading this:
Go to PyCon.
Don’t let impostor syndrome stop you. Don’t worry if you’re just starting out or feel like you “don’t know enough.” Good news: everyone is still learning. That feeling of “I’ve seen this before!” will hit you months later when something clicks in class, at work, or in a project, and it’s magical.
And let’s talk about the networking. You’ll meet people from companies you dream of working at, authors of the textbooks you’re studying, PhD researchers, career changers, open source contributors… the list goes on. Everyone is friendly, approachable, and genuinely excited to talk Python.
There’s also this awesome thing at PyCon called Open Spaces. Anyone can claim a room for an hour and host a discussion, workshop, or meetup on literally anything. Data science? Yup. Web dev? Of course. Juggling? You bet. There are open spaces for rock climbing, running, board games, you name it. It’s a place where Python brings people together and lets them bring their whole selves.
Beyond the talks and hallway conversations, there are also tutorials, workshops, and sprints. These are hands-on, collaborative events where you get to build, contribute to real projects, and sharpen your skills. I haven’t had the chance to join them yet, but I’ve talked to people who came out of them feeling inspired and ready to dive deeper into the topics they love.
Still need more reasons? I could go on for hours, but honestly, the best way to understand why PyCon is worth it is to go experience it yourself. Budget for it, convince your friends, and just go. I promise it’s something you’ll never forget.
And if PyCon feels too big or intimidating for your first tech conference, start smaller! There are plenty of amazing community-led events like PyTexas, PyOhio, PyLadies, PyData, PyItalia, PyUganda, PyJamas, and many others all around the world. Find one near you and take that first step.
Whether it’s a small meetup or the full PyCon experience, you won’t regret showing up.
Learning with Data 
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