Not Missing Everything
I have to admit that, at this point in the pandemic, I was relieved to hear that DragonCon was canceled, even though it’s taking place in a state where most things aren’t getting canceled.
In the grand scheme of things, it’s not too important. There are far more crucial things to consider, including staying healthy (hooray for my dad’s negative COVID result, even if it took way too long to come back) and planning for the future both with and without the virus.
But still, even within this crisis, I find it very important to stay connected to my favorite people, places, and things, even if I can’t go in person. I was therefore very excited to hear that AnimeNEXT, a convention I was planning to go to last month that got canceled, was holding a virtual LARP event.
LARP, or live-action roleplay, is something I discovered at that con a few years ago, and was looking forward greatly to picking up again. During the event, everyone gets a character sheet of a character from one of their favorite movies, TV shows, animes, or video games, and the whole time you’re in that room, you have to be in character. Everything that comes out of your mouth contributes to an overarching story that everyone plays a part in.
I was thrilled to hear that there might be a chance to join in virtually, and I quickly applied, even though there were a lot of people trying and I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to make it in. I was even more thrilled when a friend of mine who I met at that con many years ago wrote to me, excitedly letting me know that both she and I made it into the LARP.
Even though it’s not the same as going to AnimeNEXT and walking into the big room full of people in cosplay, I was thrilled to join the Discord group of everyone preparing, introduce myself in character, and have been eagerly awaiting Friday (the start of the LARP) ever since. As soon as I got my character sheet - a character from one of my favorite games of all time that I discovered and binged shortly after getting out of the hospital eight years ago - I wanted to practice, and my friend and I have been on the phone every night this week working on our skills from far away.
Part of me will still miss the experience that COVID has taken away, the opportunity to actually go to a con and have the LARP be just one part of a weekend full of other activities like cosplay, shopping, and spending the weekend with my best friend from college and their family.
But at the same time, I realized that there was so much I would be able to do that I couldn’t do at a regular con. Usually, the LARP takes a back seat to the many interesting things going on around me, and I never end up doing as much as I want to because I lose track of time. This time, since I don’t have other activities, I’ll be able to participate in every session and make myself a more important part of the story. The groups will be smaller, which means there will be more time to get to know people and make new friends. And I’m still managing to get time with my old friends over Discord.
I was initially upset because the LARP this weekend won’t be exactly the same. But I will be able to sit at my computer in my elf dress, hold the character sheet of a character I’ve loved for years, and play the weekend away. That’s what has to matter at times like these, when there are so many more important things going on. Modifications don’t completely ruin everything, and as someone who is usually rigid to the point that I have trouble modifying even the smallest things, it’s hard to accept that. But if it’s that or nothing, I will choose to throw myself into this LARP completely and enjoy it as much as I can. That’s one thing that can’t be taken away!
Ellie, a writer new to the Chicago area, was diagnosed with OCD at age 3. She hopes to educate others about her condition and end the stigma against mental illness.