Conventions are Better with a Friend

"Am I getting lame or are Cons getting lame?"

I sent that question to a friend as I wandered the floor of Fan Expo Dallas last Friday. It's been two years since my last Fan Expo and last time I struggled with heightened anxiety at the convention center. Still, I love cosplaying and I love the merchandise and the artwork... so I want to continue loving Comic Cons. But this Fan Expo didn't have any celebrities I was excited to see (and that I could afford), so celebrity meet-and-greets and celebrity panels weren't appealing. Since only one of my friends could come on Friday night, that first lap through the convention floor ended up being solo.

But then I met up with that friend and a few others on Saturday. Sometimes I like to think I'm introverted and would much rather keep to myself at an event like Fan Expo, especially when the atmosphere can be overstimulating at times. However, during the time I spent with friends at the Con on Friday and Saturday, I realized the social aspect is what I like most about the event. 

On Saturday morning I took to walking the floor with a friend who had never been to a convention before. We chatted and caught up (since we hadn't hung out since last summer) while I looked for a potential souvenir from Fan Expo (I ended up picking a Newt Scamander wand for my cosplay, since my kids broke my old generic wand). Seeing a convention through the eyes of a newbie is always refreshing, especially when buying all the great artwork isn't practical.

With a new job this year and my kids getting more and more interactive and hyperactive, it's been hard to get together for some guy time. I managed a trip to the temple earlier in May, but before that it had been months since our group got together. Even when it wasn't about the convention and I was just chatting with my buddies, it was enriching. Like my favorite YSA bishop once told me, the scriptural assertion that "It is not good that the man should be alone" applies to more than just marriage. It's healthy for men and women to have other friends besides their eternal companion... but in our modern world sometimes it takes extra effort to get together and connect. 

I still enjoy cosplaying for an event (I lost track of how many people commented on my Perry the Platypus that pulled my Phineas cosplay together). I love scoping out artist alley for the future date that I have a man-cave to decorate. And when there's a celebrity I love, I'm still giddy to meet them. But enjoying the cosplay, the art, or the meet-and-greets with a friend changes the experience. It's also not a bad place to make a new friend (that's how I met Zack and Jacob Smith).

So next time an event comes around, grab a friend and bring them with you. Just like mortality in general, it's better to go with someone. Make a friend or bring a friend. Your mental health and your Comic Con experience will thank you!