Ask HN: How vital is it to physically attend SIGGRAPH for my early career?

Bluntly: Is the added benefit of attending SIGGRAPH(instead of merely indulging in the Virtual Access stuff) worth not hiking the Pyrenees with my girlfriend?<p>I am a graduate student specializing in computer graphics and AI stuff. I&#x27;m very intent on finding some cool career at the intersection of technology and art so I signed up for SIGGRAPH back in April. I&#x27;ve been scouring information on generative art, NeRFs, and anything on the cutting edge of graphics for a while now so this is obviously the right place. I&#x27;d be happy enough indulging in all the talks and demos, but I&#x27;m especially interested in the networking aspect and finding a way to give myself a leg up on discovering a promising career. I have been feverishly working to develop my career since I&#x27;ve gotten to grad school, so this is pretty important to me.<p>However, my girlfriend has been planning on hiking the Pyrenees with a friend for a while now. That friend recently dropped out and her parents want someone to fill their place, so she asked me if I would like to go. I would! It would be wonderful. Her parents would likely be willing to accommodate for some of the cost of the trip which is nice as well. I don&#x27;t feel any pressure to agree to this deal and my girlfriend has stressed the same, but obviously it sounds very enjoyable.<p>I understand that a lot of people&#x27;s reaction to this sort of quandary sounds like &#x27;never choose work over relationships, live life, go have fun&#x27; but all the familiar career anxiety of a college student has been hitting me this year and I really want to find something I love to do. I don&#x27;t have a real plan set in stone as to what I would do at SIGGRAPH(I&#x27;ve heard having planned networking experiences there is vital) but I&#x27;m sure I&#x27;d find a way to make myself busy.<p>Only partly am I asking you trusty strangers what they would do in this situation, but moreso I am wondering: how great is the added value of attending SIGGRAPH as a student? My ticket already includes Virtual Access until September- can anyone attest to how valuable that is? I have heard a bit of chatter about how SIGGRAPH&#x27;s in-person experience has declined since the pandemic- is this true? Are you the CEO of Pixar, and if so, would you like to hang out at SIGGRAPH??<p>Sorry to put you in the way of a young man&#x27;s classic battle between love and work. Hope you all have a nice day.