What I live for are both video games and conventions. Games give me that opportunity to unwind and enjoy myself with either myself or a few friends, but comic and anime conventions are separate beasts of their own.

I only started going to cons a few years ago because I wanted to experience being around people with the same interests as me. Everyone there loved nerd culture, had a passion for games and anime and adored cosplayers and cosplaying. Just seeing other people dress up as characters I admired from different entertainment media was magical to me, as if they had come to life right before my eyes. It was then on that I decided I wanted to travel anywhere I could to experience conventions because I felt like this is where I belonged.

And just last week, I visited one of the biggest conventions in the country, or as they claim, “The largest, multi-media, pop culture convention in the universe!” Dragon Con was quite possibly the best con experience of my life thus far, and considering how much I had to pay just to acquire a hotel room there, I’d say that is was most certainly worth the price of admission.

To say exactly where Dragon Con is located is an incredibly difficult thing to answer; it’s quite literally everywhere. Every corner of Atlanta Georgia transforms into the convention itself, so every store, hotel, and attraction greets the con goers with open arms. In the number of cons I’ve been to so far, I’ve never felt this welcomed to an event before. I felt like a tourist of course, walking around the bustling streets just finding my way to the next hotel building, but Dragon Con was not only my tour guide, but my loving mother that was cradling me in her arms every which way. I never felt lost or overwhelmed, and considering the number of people that were there, that’s an astonishing notion to make.

This is a con that takes up an ENTIRE city, not one or two buildings. So of course, thousands of people flood the streets and shops all day. And everyone was having a blast, myself included. There’s always something to enjoy at Dragon Con for every kind of person. Panels with your favorite pop culture stars, a four story vendor’s room for every type of merchandise imaginable, rooms with games of all kinds and ballrooms and lobbies perfect for partying. Even the aquarium had a shindig for anyone willing to visit it during the weekend, which I recommend visiting no matter when you visit Georgia. They made use of one of the most beautiful and entertaining attractions Atlanta has to offer and made it a Dragon Con hotspot, and that’s an amazing way to get people to sight see.

And as someone who loves cosplay and tons of individuals in the community, Dragon Con had some of the best and most unbelievable costumes I had ever seen in person. This is definitely an event where there’s something for every kind of nerd or geek, and that’s part of the huge charm this convention has.

I go to conventions to not only enjoy the costumes and merchandise, but I also go to see the friends I don’t get to see so often. Cons bring so many people together, and I’ve met some great people going to them. I’ll most likely meet more in my lifetime, but getting together at one enormous gathering of nerd culture makes me appreciate how easy it is to make friendships at cons. I was never scared to talk to anyone, because deep down, they probably admire exactly what I like. It’s wonderful to see so many individuals connect through events like Dragon Con.

Even if you only visit it once in your lifetime, Dragon Con is worth the cash and then some. It has everything I want in a con; a place where dorks of all kinds can come together and enjoy themselves to escape their daily lives. It’s an experience I won’t ever forget, and I told myself this before, if I end up missing out on it next year, I just know I’ll kick myself.