Not only was this my first ever convention, but it was also my first ever cosplay contest... and my first time WINNING a cosplay contest. I still can't believe it. I entered in the novice category, because this is technically the first cosplay I ever made from scratch (even though I have made more since then... this cosplay was made for Halloween of 2020), and also because it was my first time entering a contest like this. There were a total of 20 ish people in the novice category (a couple of them entered in groups? Even though the sign up form said you couldn't enter as a group?), and somehow I managed to get first place in my category.

We had to go up, pose for a couple pictures, and then tell the judges a bit about our cosplay. I think what secured me my spot was telling them that I made this cosplay from scratch over the pandemic when I was teaching myself how to sew, and that it was the first cosplay I've ever made by hand. The host was very shocked that I made the bodysuit myself, and I guess it must have impressed the judges too. My prize I won was a stuffed Shaun the Sheep, a couple stickers, and all the glory. People kept coming up to me afterwards to congratulate me and give me fist bumps. It was such a cool experience.

This was a part of our cosplay club group road trip to Nanaimo for Curious Comicon. We had such a blast at this convention, even if it is a bit smaller than most. A few of our members also entered the cosplay contest, so it was a really exciting experience to share with them. I can't wait to make this an annual trip for our club <3