The season of thanks is upon us.

We rightfully think of things such as family, friends, and health when looking at the things we are thankful for. We appreciate and value the most important people in our lives. In the next few days, we will see articles and social media postings about giving thanks which contributes to why this time of the year can be so special for so many.

Well, I’m here to give thanks to something outside of the box: San Diego Comic-Con. I’ll be truthful, I have a love/hate relationship with the convention but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Like any healthy relationship, it is okay to get angry or upset but you find ways to work through that to make your relationship stronger in the end.

SDCC takes a ton of flack on social media year; heck, some of that even comes from us but it comes from a place of love. We just want to see it improve, we want to see people have the experience of a lifetime and not just “I spent 12 hours in line” memories.

So I am without further ado, here is what I am thankful for when it comes to San Diego Comic-Con

First and foremost, I am thankful that there are kind souls who are willing to volunteer and deal with the chaos of line control and other duties that require a Dalai Lama level of patience.

I am thankful that you are never more than a 45-second walk from a restroom in the convention center. They are EVERYWHERE. Maybe next year I will make it a goal to visit every attendee accessible restroom in the convention center.

I am thankful for the convention being an attraction not just for celebs but individuals from other aspects of entertainment. From Paul Stanley from KISS, to legendary basketball player Kareem-Abdul Jabbar, to the monster from Yoga Hosers that no one saw because everyone was at the Star Wars concert.

I am thankful for the pink, thick, and chalky Pepto-Bsimol. How is that related to SDCC? Hall. H. Nachos.

I’m thankful to be able to experience the misery of trying to buy badges alongside tons of other SDCC hopefuls. It’s nice to be able to console each other while a yellow bar trolls us every 2 minutes.

All jokes aside, having to deal with the chaos, frustration, and exhaustion each year really is worth it by the time you step foot in the hallowed halls of the San Diego Convention Center. There is something special about the convention and it always kills me inside a little when I see someone attend and then say how terrible of an experience it was.

Some day I will stop attending and I will look back at each and every year I attended with great memories and for that, I am thankful.