Just recently I went to my very first convention and I can say, without exaggeration, that it changed my life. It also makes me really glad about how far we have come as a society from when I was in middle school and used to get made fun of for liking video games and anime. But now, those things are considered cool and nerd culture is on the rise in popular media. From comic books, to video games, to anime and manga, there is a convention out there for everyone. It just felt so liberating being surrounded by people with similar interests to my own.
And even though I had never gone to a convention before, I decided to also dress-up in a costume I made from scratch with my own two hands which both heightened my excitement and stress leading up to the convention. Something experienced veterans of cosplay call the "Con Crunch". It was difficult working with a sewing machine for the first time since seventh grade Home-Ec but rewarding because of the results. Despite it being my first costume I have ever made, I was really happy about all the support my friends gave me and the reception my cosplay received once I was at the convention.
If you've ever wanted to know how the character actors at Disney World feel dressed up in costume all day, try cosplaying. The whole day that I dressed up in costume I was stopped by people asking for pictures and even asking for my professional cosplay Instagram (which I don't have); and each time I had to strike a pose or even hug someone saying, "Wait, are you Henry?...I LOVE YOU!". I can't say I was expecting that kind of reaction to my costume but it was extremely uplifting and I only wish I had gone to a convention sooner.
If you think you're a nerd and you haven't gone to a convention of any kind, I highly recommend it. You'll meet so many awesome people and you'll have a great time bonding with your friends. Road-tripping and sharing a hotel room with someone (or several others) is the ultimate friendship test, especially if you have a cosplayer around, like me!
