Benefits of Cosplay

Like the OP mentioned, learning to sew. Most people I know are quite impressed I have this skill as most people have no idea how these days.

Meeting new friends. Due to Asperger's I always had a hard time socializing but cosplaying has made it so much easier. Especially doing popular fandoms like with Hetalia. Just cosplaying a character and going to the photoshoot and I become instant friends with the people there. Which is why the Hetalia people at Naka meet up almost every month.

[QUOTE=pinoycosplay;4166836]For me it is a great stress relief. The chance to spend a few hours as fantasy characters whose images I have enjoyed on the television screen. A videogame character doesn't have to worry about workplace stress or rush hour commutes. Life becomes as simple as a life bar.[/QUOTE]

^ THIS! Allowing myself to slip into another character and pretend to be someone else is a great way to enhance the con experience even more in the sense of it being an escape from real life.

Where to start. Well cosplay has benefited me in many ways. From learning a ton of skills that I properly would of never learned if it were not for cosplay. I've made a ton of friends and met a lot of talented people. It's been a true honor and pleasure to have them as friends. It helps relieve stress even if it does cause it sometimes but usually. Also cosplay got me out of bad and very low point in my life. Gave me something constructive to do and something I could take pride in. Yup lots of good benefits

Well I got more confident taking pictures. I had to, I kept getting asked for pictures. It was new to me X)

I look better now because I work out to be more fit for cosplaying.
I got to meet a lot more people and take pictures.

let's see...
-I'm much more confident and socially active. Before, I was much quieter and I didn't have any way of really putting myself out there. But since I've been going to more conventions and more gatherings, I've met a lot more people, online and in person, and it just makes me generally happier.
-I've seen more of Los Angeles than I would have otherwise. I wish people had more gatherings that were closer to where I live, but since they've all been in the LA area, I've seen some of downtown LA as well as Little Tokyo.
-I've learned more about putting makeup on. In fact, just the other day, I learned how to do a smoky eye for my Alice cosplay. I also now know how to better take care of a wig. I could use a bit more ability on how to put spikes in it, but I do know how to make an ahoge.
-I learned how to cook more things. Like the riceballs I made for a cosplay picnic. People seemed to like them, too. owo

cosplay has made me friends and given me confidence n.n
without cosplay i dont think I would be the same person I am now. I would still be socially awkward and shy...I wouldn't have met any of my friends, and i would most likely be stuck in the "my twin is the only friend i need" thing.
I was actually thinking last night as i sewed together my assassins creed courtesan cosplay..."where would I be without cosplay?"
I dont think my life would be very good.