After being out of town for the 4th of July and attending a convention, I took a writing break. In a turn of events, I could attend CONvergence this year. For those who are new to Bizarre Brunette, CONvergence was the first convention I went to. CONvergence will always have a special place in my heart as being my first con but also introduced me to cosplay, conventions, and geek culture in general. I wanted to share a little recap about CONvergence along with what it was like to be back post-Covid.

CONvergence was so fun! This year, I tabled at the Twin Cities Geek booth. I was able to connect with so many different people who came up to talk to me. I saw so many cosplayers walking by. One of the biggest things at CONvergence is ribbons which can be attached to your badge. I received so many ribbons from con-goers, I might have set a personal record.

Besides sitting at the Twin Cities Geek booth, I also went to the party rooms. Party rooms are hotel rooms that have been turned into themed rooms. The hotel rooms often serve alcoholic beverages that are on point with the party room. The drinks are free, but it’s encouraged to tip the party room as the organizers who throw the party pay for all the booze, mixers, and set-up. One party room we went to was Doctor Who-themed. There was a “Tears of the Tardis” challenge to take a shot that was really sour. If you completed the challenge, you could earn a ribbon for your badge. I am all for adding ribbons to my badge, so I did partake. The shot was very sour, but it was worth it for the ribbon.

CONvergence was slightly different than the other times I have attended in the past. This was the first time attending since the pandemic. It felt like nothing had changed which is a good thing. The other difference was that most of my friends that I used to go with weren’t there this year. Some friends moved away, and other friends simply couldn’t make it. I was a little nervous about finding and meeting new people. Fortunately, I ended up meeting quite a few new people and now I feel like I have a good group of people to meet up with and talk to next year.

Reflecting back on this past weekend, I realize how happy I am to have found a place within the convention scene. I feel at home and I feel like I can be myself. I’m looking forward to CONvergence next year.