For many of us in the nerd-world, July is our holiday season, and the third Saturday of July is Christmas. We prepare all year for this. We shop, create lists, and adorn ourselves with elaborate decorations. This is OUR time! San Diego Comic-Con: the Nerd Mecca.

We lost our space.

Now, what do we do when an evil virus shuts down our holiest of days? For a lot of us, there aren’t many opportunities to be our authentic geeky selves outside of cons. The scourge of 2020 hast taken that from us en masse. How does one cope with this loss? Many people may not understand the real sense of mourning that some of us are experiencing right now (try and compare it to football, that may help the normies understand). However, that doesn’t make our feelings any less justified. We lost our public communities. We spend the entire rest of the year squeezing our awesomeness into cubicles, classrooms, and communities that would probably not understand if we told them about our manga and anime collections. Or, being completely in love with a fictional character who may or may not be (insert brooding, dark anti-hero here). Comic-Con fans and attendees get us. The real us. How are we supposed to cope, now?

Side note: Don’t judge us. I’m talking to Billy Bob over there who went on an armed protest to get your football and haircuts back. We see you.

While there is nothing like the excitement of a live con, reality and good sense say that this year is not our year. That is okay. Here are lots of other ways that we can stay connected to our nerd/blerd community and still let our freak flags fly!

This should go without saying, but visit your LCS!

Most cities have allowed small businesses to reopen. You can bet that local comic shops (LCS) are hurting after COVID-19 shutdowns. Go in there (with a mask, socially distanced) or call and order from them! Your LCS will be thrilled to have you in there, and there is no better way to connect to the comic world than losing yourself in a good comic.

Engage with your fave outlets and platforms (um…us?) on social media!

There are so many Blerd/nerd sites that are staying on top of all of the goings-on in nerdom. My personal fave is The Blerd Gurl (TheBlerdgurl.com and @TheBlerdGurl on all social media). She is my go-to for finding out what is happening in nerd spaces. When I connect to her, I feel connected to the nerd community.

Binge and Live-tweet.

Lockdown currently allows us a lot of time to watch (and rewatch) our shows and movies. Personally, I have been

LIVING for the Doctor Who lockdown live tweets. #DoctorWhoBlackout was lit! I also recently found the hashtag #TolkienBlackGirl… Um, I found my people! The internet has so many awful, dark corners. But, it is also filled with happy enclaves (like the Black neighborhood in the Shire or Hogwarts BSU) that will fill you with so much joy!

Attend Comic-Con@Home.

We are! Catch all of our favorite panels! Also, follow us here Blerd Galaxy @SoBlerdy on social media and on-site to check out or coverage. We are not letting Ol’ Rona slow down our SDCC coverage!

Stay connected with Comic-Con!

Comic-Con.org is still going strong, and you can still get your Comic-Con merch there. Follow SDCC Unofficial Blog @SD_Comic_Con for all things SDCC. It is also a cool way to support artists and vendors who are forced to miss out on this sales opportunity. I don’t know about you, but pin and sticker collecting from vendors and in Artist Alley are one of my favorite things do to at SDCC. What could brighten your mood more than a package from your favorite vendor filled with the con-swag that you love!

Bonus: No lines, crowds, or sweaty nerds who forgot to put on their deodorant when putting on their cosplay. A stink-free con experience? Count me in!

All in all, yes, we will miss our summer paradise of SDCC. That doesn’t mean, however, that we have to be disconnected. Your Blerd community is still here. And, can you imagine the Blerd meet-up parties we’re going to have at SDCC 2021, next year when we can finally get back together? We’re going to TURN SDCC OUT!

In the meantime, find your Blerd community, stay connected, hold the community down, and remember… July 2021 is coming.