So you're going to a con and you want to know what to expect and what to do and what not to do.
Well, we have you covered. It's no problem.
We decided to do our homework and provide ourselves and you
with some tips for convention going.
First of all, drink plenty of water.
Now this applies whether you're in a costume or just in mundane civvies.
You don't absorb that stuff to your skin, people.
It's really expensive at convention centers, so you might want to bring some with you.
This make sure that I will be hydrated through the whole show no matter where I get stuck
— whether it's a line, in some kind of room with a bunch
of costumed animals, I don't know.
You're going to want to bring a sewing and/or emergency kit with you you know
just basics like a needle and thread...
Safety pins, band-aids...
...hand sanitizer, if you use that kind of thing...
...deodorant — very important...
...pain relievers of your own personal choosing...
....Klingon repellent...
Anything that you might want for like a
small on-the-go emergency.
Hey, did you forget to pre-register for the show that you're going to?
Well, make sure that you bring cash to the registration.
Lines where you can just pay cash money
are often a lot shorter and they move a lot more quickly.
Also, keep in mind that ATMs tend to run out of money as the show goes on.
Everyone's trying to use it, so make sure that you are stocked up before you get there.
If you have friends that you're meeting at the show, make all of your meetup
plans before you ever leave home.
Because cell phone and data service tends to be pretty congested.
Every nerd in there is on their devices.
I've done shows before that are in the basements of convention centers. It's like being in
a military bunker and you will have trouble connecting to your service provider.
Another thing that I highly recommend is to carry food and snacks with you wherever you go.
When the hanger sets in, you just are not going to have a good time.
Sometimes you end up sitting in a line for three hours to get into
that panel you really wanted. And you don't wanna have a blood sugar issue when that's going on.
You might even want to consider packing your own lunch,
especially if you're gonna be stuck in a convention center and away from restaurant options.
Also, packing a lunch is going to be cheaper and more nutritious.
You're not gonna have to stand in line. It's just a good idea.
Does the con have a dedicated app? If it does
download that business and keep it on your smart phone.
That way you'll have the most up-to-date information about
where your panels are gonna be, if there's going to be any changes,
whether someone cancels or does a super secret ninja concert.
You don't want to go and try to make your way through a crowd to see somebody that's not even there.
Also, speaking of your smartphone, it's a really good idea to carry chargers
and/or batteries for any electronics that you have.
Depending upon the size of the con,
it might not be possible for you to just up and run back to the room for a quick charge.
But hey, be considerate. There's only so many outlets available.
Everybody share, share nice, play friendly.
Don't be an outlet hog.
Don't be that guy.
Remember to be friendly. You're among your people, man.
But with that note, you should also keep your wits about you.
This is especially true if you're going to a con that maybe has a lot of nightlife
and you think you're going to be drinking a little bit.
Use the buddy system.
Have a friend with you so that you don't find yourself in any kind of dangerous situation.
Also, if you have maybe gone to a con for the first time,
and you just loved it and it was a magical experience,
and you want to do it again next year,
consider pre-registering.
Some shows sell advance registration
at a substantially discounted rate from what you're gonna get if you wait and register online later.
Look and see if that option is available to you
so you can save cash money.
This one is very personal and important to me.
This is a personal peeve of mine.
This is a big problem and I see it happening at every show.
It's gotten way worse ever since smartphones became very popular.
Do not
DO NOT STOP
at the top or bottom of escalators or stairs
or in a doorway, or in the middle of a busy walkway to get your bearings,
to figure out where your googling, to tweet your friend, whatever.
I know that your stuff is very important to you and that tweet is critical, however
this can cause some major traffic issues at shows, especially with big crowds.
Some of them are in costumes where they can't see where they're going,
or perhaps they have a larger radius around them than what they're used to.
Do you want a big pile up of Chewbaccas?
I think they call that a fur pile at some shows.