This past weekend, I went to Anime Weekend Atlanta (AWA) for the first time in my life.

Prior to that, I had worked at Nerdacon a couple of times and went to Final Round (a gaming tournament held in Atlanta) once. So it’s pretty obvious that I’m new to hanging around conventions of any sort. To be honest, I was exhausted from working and ALMOST didn’t want to go AWA because I thought I would be too tired to do anything.

Long story short, I’m glad I went.

For starters, the convention is held in the Cobb Galleria, which is right across the street from the Cumberland Mall; there’s other places that you can visit there as well. It’s four days long, but you can go for three days, two days, or even a day. The great part is the prices for those passes vary from most expensive to the cheapest. I went for two days, but because there is so much to see and do both inside and outside the convention, I might try four or three days next time. It’s also an all-day convention – meaning there’s something to do early in the morning and late at night (panels start to focus on more adult themes around or after 10 PM). There’s a Dealer’s Room (where merchandise is sold) and a few food trucks if you prefer to eat at the con (along with some restaurants within the Galleria itself). So really, there’s so much to do for anyone and everyone.

Again, this was my first time ever setting foot at AWA after many years of saying I’d go and bailing out because of work and funds. I wasn’t sure what to expect since I’d heard that it was great and bigger and better than Nerdacon (and I thought THAT was a big convention), but it was a wonderful time and not just because it was being held in Atlanta where there’s always something to do.

To see so many people being themselves and cosplaying characters from anime, video games, cartoons, and even movies was exciting and inspirational in itself. It didn’t matter the race, gender, size, or shape of the person – the cosplays were really nice and exciting to look at. I plan to cosplay for once next year; but who knows?. I didn’t go to any of the panels, but each time I passed one the room was practically full. I’ve heard that the panels can be pretty informative.

My favorite and most visited part of the convention, however, was the Dealer’s Room. It’s actually quite big; my boyfriend and I spent a good hour and a half to two hours walking around the first time. It has merchandise from both name-brand companies and artists who spent time creating fan-art from certain fandoms. I spent a pretty penny on fan-art and Japanese snacks, but it was worth my money. The only thing I regret is not buying more stuff! Some of the figurines and other merchandise were quite pricey though, but I heard that some prices get cut on the last day so if you’re willing to wait that long, then buy away.

Imagine: all of this and so much more.

If you’ve never been to a convention before in your life, I really recommend going to one like AWA. It’s big and popular enough to intrigue but not necessarily overwhelm. I found myself spending time around Atlanta because I’m not fond of crowds but I also saw people at the con later that night that had been there since morning. To each his own, you know. I also feel that it is authentic enough to inspire new-comers to try and be a part of it, either through cosplay or sitting through panels. If you think it’s only focused on anime, it is and isn’t. Again, I saw some Naruto cosplays, some Overwatch cosplays, and even some Kids Next Door cosplays. They were adults cosplaying as well as children. There was simple merchandise such as lanyards and keychains, but also intricate hats, kimonos, yukatas, and so on. There was so much to see and explore.

Whether you enjoy anime or something else, just go.

The con is literally for everyone, so go.

You might find stuff you like, new and old.