Gambling and rambling? No, we received a scholarship to attend the 25th APP conference and we are getting our learn on!
As I explained in my previous blog post, the APP is an organization dedicated to spreading information about safety and hygiene in the piercing industry. Every year Las Vegas is home to the annual APP conference that piercers from all over the world attend to teach classes, exchange information, network and share experiences. It is the perfect place to learn about the latest developments withing the piercing industry.
Getting a chance to be a part of it this year is a dream come true.
So what are these scholarships? Well, every year a number of people can be given support to make it easier for them to go to Vegas. The APP wants people to attend but knows that not everybody has the necessary means to make it. Sponsors contribute funds and these are given in the form of scholarships or partial scholarships.
Piercers can apply for a scholarship and a committee grants these after reviewing every applicant to the ones that are in most need of it. This process is quite extensive and as an applicant you really have to put in some work. Then again, it’s definitely worth it as it gives a chance to go to the biggest piercing event in the world.
The 2020 conference that never happend
I applied and received the scholarship in 2020 but due to the pandemic, conference was cancelled and my scholarship was rolled over to 2021. But 2021 came and yet again covid restriction resulted in another cancelled conference. Understandable of course as the risks were simply to great but still disappointing, I was really looking forward to it.
2022 brought better news
conference would happen again this year but, I had to re-apply. I remembered how nerve wrecking it was the last time. Making the application was fun but the wait for the final answer was filled with anxiety attacks and impostor syndrome. I felt unworthy and highly insecure and I even though about dropping out. And now I would have to go through that again.
If the pandemic has thought me 1 thing it’s that you can’t take things for granted
There are many things beyond my control and it’s a waste of energy to worry about them. If I wouldn’t get the scholarship this year I know 2 things: 1, it would go to another great applicant who really needs it and 2, I can always apply again next year.
And after the wait came...
Needless to say is that after the lockdowns and re-locating my studio I was seriously lacking the means to attend on my own power so I re-applied and knowing that the decision is in the hands of people I can trust to make the right decision I didn’t feel as anxious as I did in 2020. But when the news came that I was once again granted the scholarship I was once again ecstatic! Ava also applied this year and got the same great news so we will be traveling together this June.
We will join the team of volunteers that help make this event happen and so we will also experience what goes in to organizing an event of this scale. I will of course write a special post about the event and my experience while doing my volunteer work. There will be lots of things to write about I’m sure!
Stuart
Founder, Piercer
Founder and full-time piercer Stuart is the main face of the studio. Serious, a dose of humor (well, if we can call dad-jokes funny) and a lot of coffee, that’s how we can describe Stuart best.
