u/Gullible-Athlete-738

I am planning a trip to Italy in August, and my current Schengen Visa expires in the middle of my trip. So I am getting a new visa through the Italian embassy, and I am trying to book an appointment at the Italian Consulate in NYC, but it says there are no available appointments. When I joined the waitlist, I got an appointment for August 3rd, which is way too late. I canceled my request, and I am not sure what to do now. Any tips on how to get an earlier appointment?