DebConf 17 was also my first DebConf (also first international trip), so i think i should tell my experience too.
I was highly surprised to know a little more about the "social side" of Debian by seeing things like the Enrico's talk about doing things together[0] and Karen Sandler's Debian & Outreachy [1].
It didn't passed my mind that i would find lots of people talking about how one should create a better community, both technically and socially speaking.
I didn't have any problem at all speaking to to other people (i mean, i'm not counting shyness as a problem), every time i spoke with someone i learned something cool about the project or about that person. There were obviously some people that i would like to meet but didn't had the correct timming (as i either wasn't confident enough of my english skills to talk about what i wanted or didn't thought the person would like to talk at that time), but this is perfectly fine, also there's one DebConf per year :)
I think Chris's suggestion just enforces the great experience i had at DC17, and i believe there is a good margin to enforce that without getting to the level of making people uncomfortable.
I liked the idea of "DebConf 101" cited in this thread and I would definitely attend that.
So a big thank you for everyone who was part of my DebConf experience. I made some good friends there.