Bobbing through the sea of blue jackets, I found myself reminiscing on that same scenario from seven years earlier. I was anxious and scared, but most of all, I was excited.

This memory was triggered by my recent pit stop at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. My sister, Kaylee, was at the convention with her chapter from our hometown in Cambridge, Wisconsin, so I made the trip down to visit with her and take a walk down memory lane.

Some convincing

My family and I spent the weeks leading up to the convention trying to convince Kaylee that a week spent in Indianapolis was a worthy investment.

“Most of my friends aren’t going” and “I won’t know anyone there” were sentiments that she repeated to all of us when defending her decision to not go. However, after some more text message conversations, I finally helped her take that leap and commit to the trip.

As we sat down for lunch toward the end of the convention, I felt like I was looking in the mirror. Kaylee was giddy as she told me about all the people she met and the events she attended. Sharing high-fives with FFA members from across the country and experiencing the general sessions were highlights from her trip.

I couldn’t help but chuckle as she shared these memories that will last forever. I was the exact same. As an introvert, nothing terrified me more when I was Kaylee’s age than the thought of spending almost a week in a different state with thousands of people I didn’t know.

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I went back and forth on whether I would attend. Did I really want to throw myself into that new situation, unsure of the outcome? Let’s go for it! What could go wrong?

Fast forward

The answer is: Nothing could go wrong! The National FFA Convention is the crossroads of new opportunities, networking, college and career contacts, and fun experiences. The week is sprinkled with general sessions, workshops, a concert and a rodeo, with a giant trade show geared to FFA members as the cherry on top.

Here I sit, seven years after my first National FFA Convention trip, hit with the realization that FFA really did help me land where I am today. My Boer goat operation was kick-started by a speech I heard at a general session during the National FFA Convention. My education at Purdue was made possible by learning more about the college during the expo. And my confidence to meet people and tell their stories was boosted by my trips to the National FFA Convention.

It's funny to reminisce on how scared I was to take that first leap, to dive right into that new opportunity. Little Allison had no idea what was in store. And I saw that same girl in Kaylee.

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We both transformed our FFA careers in a few days by taking that plunge and attending the convention. I encourage other high school students to do the same.

Although the 2025 National FFA Convention is a whole year away, now is the perfect time to attend local conferences and events. Start small, and explore everything available in FFA. But next October, make sure your name is on your chapter’s list for the National FFA Convention. It will be one of the best decisions of your life.