I've seen that happen too, though it took me a while to realise it was happening.

It's one of the reasons I try my best to talk to new people. I've always tried to do this, but as I've become better known just felt it was even more important.

This year I had someone who was new a year or two back tell me how much it meant to them that I took the time to chat with them, not just at their first con, but at subsequent cons too.