I went to San Diego Comic-Con for the first time and the experience was marred by vicious mosquitoes and other unexpected issues, but I’d still go again

My first time attending San Diego Comic-Con came with a myriad of frustrating circumstances, but I’d go back for another round. Arguably the biggest and most well-known entertainment convention returned to the San Diego Convention Center for a full-scale, four-day event from July 21 to 24. It’s a mecca for thousands of fans flocking to be immersed in the world of comic books, movies, shows, and pop culture.

After years of consuming SDCC as a fan, from videos and photos shared by others, I was elated to travel from New York City and cover the con on behalf of Insider. Since I’ve attended other conventions as a fan and as a reporter on past occasions, I felt relatively prepared for SDCC. The con hadn’t been entirely in-person since 2019, before the pandemic, so I had some reservations.

My overall enjoyable experience was tainted by unexpected issues , the top one being the surprising amount of vicious mosquitoes. Unbeknownst to us, San Diego has 27 known species of mosquitoes and there was a surge in a particularly invasive kind of mosquito last year . Me and my colleague, Kirsten Acuna, detailed how physically uncomfortable our collective 40+ bites made us .

From the feedback I’ve received from readers, this was an unusual circumstance and complaint to have. But it happened to me and it put a real damper on the trip. Whether I was inside the hotel or outside exploring the Con, I constantly felt vulnerable, with no way to evade the bright-red, itchy welts.

Being outdoors in the peak sunlight hours, waiting in lines for more than two hours to enter activations, was also brutal. Temperatures in San Diego ranged from the mid-70s to high-80s Fahrenheit during the hottest hours of the day, plus 70% or more humidity. I’m accustomed to lengthy queues, having attended an abundance of cons, concerts, meet-and-greets, pop-up shops, and other events over the years.

But it’s difficult to keep a positive attitude when you’re out in the open, fully exposed to the sun. Spending time waiting in lines also meant that I couldn’t check out every single activation or booth that I originally intended to see. In fact, there were a lot of plans left on the cutting-room floor.

Despite its downsides, though, I would return to SDCC. Attending SDCC had been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember being aware of the event. Getting to witness the unparalleled energy of the famous Hall H, first-hand, was truly one of the highlights .

Even though the lines for activations were long and tiring, I appreciated the attention to detail that went into all of them. The actors, the set designs, the props, the activities, and, of course, the free swag, made the waiting worth it. When I stepped into a castle in support of the upcoming “Game of Thrones” spin-off “House of the Dragon,” I truly felt like I was transported to Westeros to select my own dragon egg and hatch it.

Upon entering the immersive experience for Apple TV+’s thriller series “Severance,” I was impressed by how closely the eerily white hallways and office rooms resembled the ones seen in the Emmy-nominated show. Getting to participate in our own Music Dance Experience in the room with the cubicles was a personal highlight. And when I finally got into the “Abbott Elementary” activation after waiting for two-and-a-half hours, I felt like I was actually walking through the school’s hallways, principal’s office, and classrooms.

At events of this caliber, the people that you’re surrounded with can also make or break your experience . I was especially thankful that SDCC staff were diligent about adhering to COVID safety protocols and that the employees throughout the con were friendly. The fellow attendees, whether they were cosplaying or dressed in casual attire, seemed genuinely excited to be at SDCC.

My SDCC experience was filled with plenty of hardships, but not enough to dissuade me from staying clear of the event. Follow along with Insider’s San Diego Comic-Con 2022 coverage here . .