研討會真的有用嗎？這是一個值得探討的問題，有人會說，不是只要網路上看一看資料、讀幾篇論文就好了？為何要辦研討會？就像之前疫情時，大多數的交流活動，都轉為以線上方式進行，但是，疫情結束後，交流活動好像慢慢地回歸到實體方式進行，看來，很多人提過，人是一種社交型動物，還是有點道理。
在某場專業的研討會結束後，天色也逐漸昏暗了下來，身心都進入了一種既疲憊又微妙放鬆的狀態。主辦單位貼心地為我和幾位朋友保留了座位，讓我們能留下來用餐。這樣的安排，對我而言，不只是簡單的吃飯，而像是完成一場知識馬拉松後，迎來的一場慶功宴。
我們一行人走出會場，呼吸到外頭稍帶涼意的空氣時，我才意識到自己有多餓。連續聽了好幾個小時的演講與討論，腦袋早已微微發脹，肚子也早就空空如也，而學術與專業的緊繃氣氛，在我一入座後，就像脫下西裝一樣被拋在身後，我和坐同桌的朋友，都有過數面之緣，所以，剛好可以趁機敘敘舊，聯絡一下感情。
不久，桌上便鋪滿了各式小菜與醬料，在主持人輕鬆地宣布可以開動後，便開始上菜了，牛油及蒜香交織出的氣味飄散在空氣中，讓我立刻感覺到餓了，此時此刻，大家舉杯慶祝的不只是研討會順利落幕，更是這份在壓力之後的釋放，酒過三巡，話題逐漸從專業走向八卦，從國內趨勢聊到海外旅遊，而在酒精的催化下，我們也越來越放鬆了，期間，我和幾位好友也趁機去別桌敬酒，順道結識一些業界的前輩與講者，或許，之後，我們還有合作的機會。
工作多年之後，參加這類研討會的機會，慢慢地變多了，有人說，工作上無法結識朋友，這句話，或許這是部分人的經驗，但是，我認為能否在工作中認識朋友，還是你用甚麼心態去對待別人，如果你真誠對待身邊的人，就算是在充滿專業與利益的場域中，依然有可能找到志同道合的夥伴，在研討會中認識的朋友，相對而言，較沒利益關係，能否深交，也是要看運氣，而在研討會中面對面的交流，不僅可以補足自己的盲點，也更能理解對方的思路和個性，難怪聽很多人提過，很多跨界的合作機會，都是在酒酣飯飽後，聊出來的。
Are conferences really useful? That’s a question worth thinking about. Some people might say, “Can’t you just look things up online or read a few papers? Why bother attending a conference?” During the pandemic, most networking or meeting events moved online, and for a while, it felt like we could do everything virtually. But now that the pandemic is over, these kinds of events seem to be slowly returning to in-person formats. I guess there's some truth to what people often say—humans are social creatures, after all.
After a recent professional conference ended, the sky had already started to darken, and I was feeling both mentally drained and strangely relaxed. The organizers had kindly saved a few seats for me and my friends, so we could stay for dinner. To me, it wasn’t just a meal—it felt like a celebration after a long intellectual marathon.
As we stepped out of the venue, the cool evening air hit me, and I suddenly realized how hungry I was. Sitting through hours of talks and discussions had left my brain a bit swollen and my stomach completely empty. But the moment I sat down at the dinner table, that tight, professional atmosphere from earlier faded away—just like taking off a suit. I’d met most of the people at my table a few times before, so it was the perfect chance to catch up and reconnect.
Soon, the table was filled with all sorts of side dishes and sauces. Once the host casually announced we could start eating, the dishes started coming out, and the smell of butter and garlic filled the air—it made me even hungrier. At that moment, we weren’t just celebrating the successful end of a conference, and we were also enjoying the relief of being done with all that pressure. After a few rounds of drinks, the conversations gradually shifted away from professional topics to more personal ones—gossip, local trends, even travel stories. The alcohol definitely helped us loosen up. A few of us also took the opportunity to go toast people at other tables, meet some industry experts, and maybe, just maybe, plant the seeds for future collaborations.
After working for years, I’ve started attending more of these kinds of conferences. Some people say it’s hard to make real friends at work, and maybe that’s true for some. But I think it really depends on your attitude. If you’re genuine with the people around you, it’s still possible to meet like-minded friends—even in professional, sometimes competitive, settings. People you meet at conferences usually don’t have direct conflicts of interest with you, which makes the connection feel a bit more relaxed. Whether that turns into a deeper friendship depends on luck, of course. Still, face-to-face interactions often help fill in the gaps in understanding, both in terms of knowledge and personality. No wonder people often say that cross-disciplinary collaborations usually get sparked during meals and drinks—not on stage or in meeting rooms.
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