It has been eight years since the last time I participated in
the IARU HF Championships.  In 2002, my call was KC9AZL(this 
was soon changed to N9QS and then AI4AW).  I was fourteen years old at the  time and had held my license for only six months.  I really enjoyed the contest and couldn't wait for the next one.  Carl, K9LA, even quoted my soapbox entry in the write-up for QST.  Unfortunately, I wasn't really able to get into contesting real seriously because of school and moving twice.  The next contest I made over one hundred contacts in was the 2008 Georgia QSO party.  In 2002 the contest was different: I only operated voice because I had not improved my CW skills beyond what was required  to pass the test.  Propagation was also different, my 2002 log shows working Australia and Hungary 5 minutes apart on 15.  Then I was using a dipole antenna up about 40 feet, but now I am using a dipole up 15 feet because I live where there are no trees.  I worked 12 new countries in 2002; this time I only worked one new one, OX8XX. 105QSOs in a day seemed like a lot when I was first licensed; this time I made over 300.  Operating CW and not having a 10 P.M. bedtime certainly helped with the QSO total. Nothing can beat the first time I participated in the IARU HF Championship, but this time I must say is the second best  contest I have participated in terms of fun.  What makes the IARU contest fun is everyone works everyone, we get to operate both CW and phone, the exchange is simple, we get to work HQ stations and receive their nifty QSLs through the bureau, and its a 24 hour contest.  Its also during the summer break which allows busy college students to take it seriously.   I am looking forward to the next IARU hf contest that I can participate in.