The pandemic did a lot of things for a lot of people. For me, it helped me remember why exactly I cosplay and what I value out of my experiences in this virtual and in-person community. While I still craft when the desire strikes, lately my convention and cosplay experience has been that of support and I’ve really been enjoying it.
Volunteering/Unofficial Staff
My first convention of 2023 was the very first Waifu Expo (now rebranded to Kimochii Con for inclusivity). Knowing many people on staff, I attended as a volunteer to help out my friends. I primarily helped Ace, the Cosplay Department Head, with the cosplay-centric events. This included the Cosplay Pageant on the first night as well as the Cosplay Contest and Cosplay Burlesque show on the second night. I worked as both a stagehand for all the performances as well as a runner and assistant to the contest judges during and after pre-judging.
To say I had a blast is a massive understatement. Around the time of the con, I actually got an informal ADHD diagnosis, which would explain how I thrive in stressful and time-sensitive situations. I need deadlines to keep me focused and problem-solving at break-neck speeds is my idea of a good time. I also just thrive on feeling helpful and knowing other people are having a good time because I’m making their con experiences smoother/easier.
Not only that, but I’m nosy as hell and sitting in the pre-judging room as the contestants met our panel of judges is always fun. I love the craft-side of cosplay and listening to everyone’s unique spin on creating their costumes. I found myself taking mental notes as contestants mentioned techniques that even the judges hadn’t heard of before. (In hindsight, I should’ve made those actual notes and not just mental notes because now I’ve forgotten them.)
Ace asked me to officially join their staff, so I’ll be helping out with it next year.
“Chair Lord”
I somehow managed to make myself part of Kimochii Con lore by being dubbed by the audience “Chair Lord.” What started as a joke Friday night during the pageant—where I would bring up a chair to be used for the talent portion of the event—turned into a title I took to heart. It also turned a little into non-verbal improvisation on the stage as I would ham it up for the audience in between sets. It’s all good fun and I’m still an attention-seeker at heart. I’m secure in myself enough to acknowledge that; I’m always a performer, even when playing support.
Guesting
My next con was WOWCon Beyond (previously Women of Wondercon) where I actually was a Cosplay Guest! It was my first time with my own table and while the con is very small, I had fun having a table and doing my two cosplay panels.
Similiar to Kimochii Con, I’ve been asked to help out more for future WOWcons, so that’s two cons where I’m getting involved with helping run it!
More Volunteering
I applied to volunteer for DreamCon for two reasons: one, it was the only way I was going to be able to attend because tickets sold out immediately; two, I wanted to help out with the cosplay contest having watched Ace compete in it last year.
I was accepted and put into the Cosplay Department as a contest assistant. Due to some miscommunication, I was placed in the cosplay repair room for some of the convention. While I didn’t mind this at all (and was able to help a lot of wonderful cosplayers fix their costumes), my favorite part was being a stagehand and runner for the contest itself Saturday night. Everyone’s cosplays looked incredible and I think we really put on a great show. Like a duck treading water, we were running around with our little hidden legs flapping manically, but on the surface we looked cool as a cucumber.
I also got to reprise my silly “Chair Lord” persona by wearing my same NITW hat, black pants, and black boots while running around helping. It’s basically a uniform at this point like a theater stagehand. And, like Kimochiicon, I handed out awards on stage for the contest and tried very, very hard to shrink as small as I could so I wasn’t taking any attention away from our winners. (I don’t take attention away when the talent is on the stage. When we’re between sets and I’m up there by myself? That’s a different story lol)
And what do you know? Moore, the Cosplay Head, said they’re gonna claim me as their volunteer again if I do it again next year. So guess who’s going to apply to volunteer again? This guy.
Handler
Again, in classic fashion, I find ways to go from con attendee to assistant to the talent. It’s a super power, apparently. KO+con had a few voice actors table at the convention. Jalitza, being a voice actress herself and knowing some of them personally, asked if I would check in on two of her friends and fellow Horimiya VAs. It only made sense that I cosplay Sakura while her VA Celeste Perez guested! (Meeting VAs while I’m cosplaying their character never disappoints. Highly recommend.) She was very sweet and I watched her table for her while she got lunch and then did the same for Hori’s VA Marisa Duran!
Other Creative Pursuits
With all that said, it’s looking like 2024 is shaping up to be a very interesting convention year for me, with three different conventions wanting me to help out again. I like to think I bring experience and knowledge to the cons I’m at, given I’ve been cosplaying and attending conventions for over half my life now. (I started in 2005. Do the math lol)
Will I go back to cosplaying and competing? Sure, if the desire strikes. But right now, I’m enjoying my time as Cosplay Support and also as a fanfic author who is extremely close to finishing their longfic, which is currently sitting at 119k published words. Did I ever foresee myself getting back into writing? Not really, but life is funny that way. (Slight tangent, I wanted to become a writer ever since I was 7 when I read “The Mouse and the Motorcycle,” but gave up that dream when I realized it didn’t really pay much. How sad.) It makes sense, however, that I segued back into writing as a hobby, given its low expenses and low bar for effort in comparison to cosplay.
2022 and 2023 have been years where I’ve listened to my heart and not the algorithm. Where I create art (notice, I said “art” not “content;” that’s a deliberate word choice) because I want to and not because I’m expected to. I write what I want, cosplay what I want, post what I want. My hobbies are not my job and I am beholden to no one but myself. My job feeds me, but my creative pursuits feed my soul and make life worth living. And sometimes, those creative pursuits are just helping other people fulfill theirs. And that’s fine, too.
Ashweez Cosplay 
Leave a comment