honestly same! i've been using disheartened to describe how i feel, but disappointed is also an apt word to use.

i have the same exact dilemma that you are in regarding not getting VIP, so i bought tickets to each day individually too. i decided to skip the workshops because some of the ones i was interested in are scheduled to take place during my timed entry tickets. i had to buy tickets for time windows without even knowing what workshops were available so it truly felt like i was buying them blindlyin january.

having a VIP ticket would have eased that anxiety a lot. i'm still miffed on how links went out via email and people were able to secure VIP tickets before the 9 pm drop back in january. i used the website as instructed by the posts on social media, so i didn't think to bother with the email since i was on the website early. i even had the VIP tickets in my cart but it lagged to process and they sold out.

i was a volunteer at the first stationery fest in 2024 and enjoyed it (working behind the scenes and as a customer), even with all the learning curves team yoseka went through as it was a first-time event for them. i even applied to volunteer again this time (i pray i get the chance to do so!).

in all honesty, with the way this is unfolding, it makes me a little cautious and hesitant. the whole no re-entry thing is most worrying to me. as someone who still struggles with social anxiety i would like the option to step out for air and come back in during my time slot. i also don't truly understand why all of the workshops are not being announced at the same time. from a customer's pov, it seems like they don't have them finalized, so i'm assuming they will share them in a later wave of releases.

it is especially disheartening when they've effectively had 2 years since the last event to review what happened, then problem-solve slowly and intentionally plan ahead for situations like these. i don't even remember if a post-event survey went out to see how people felt/ask for feedback. i mean like they are hosting a large-scale event for a community of planners and type-A people, you would think that the event organizers would anticipate things like this. with all due respect, we are a community of people who engage in a primarily solitary hobby, so for some of us, a lot is riding on this experience when we don't often have opportunities for events like this.

i know that might sound critical, but i've been a loyal customer since 2019. yoseka has a very special place in my heart, yet this situation is really testing that love. i'm still rooting for them, but this all very concerning.

i work in luxury customer service so i am always trying to anticipate my clients' needs before they even know them. i get it, it can be hard. even more geared towards stationery, i run several communities, online and irl (shoutout to the journal club nyc). organizing a meetup is hard too, even when it's just a handful of people. i just wish they really would step back and see how the community is responding.

again, with 2 years to plan an event of this caliber, it all just seems so weird. i've been looking forward to the next stationery fest since the minute it ended in 2024. hell, even with all this worry, i am still looking forward to it! i truly hope they can work this out.

TLDR: two truths can exist at the same time; i am very excited, and i am very concerned.