In October, I was offered the CILIP NW Member Network bursary for the CILIP New Professionals Day which took place on 22nd October 2019. I am currently studying the Library and Information Management MA at Manchester Metropolitan University and chose New Professionals Day as my first CILIP conference. Having never attended a CILIP conference before, I thought this event would ease me in. I also hoped that it would give me a brief overview of the different career paths an information professional might choose. Entry for the randomised bursary was straightforward; it required an email from me with my CILIP member number, name, and the title of my university course. On the day of the event, I got an early train down to London, paid for mainly with the bursary. At CILIP HQ, we were offered coffee, tea and biscuits and I sat down for a catch up with a fellow student who had also come along to the event. Ahead of the day attendees received a workshop checklist so, while we waited for our