My little writing group and I are gearing up for our home town’s original science fiction and fantasy convention, ConQuesT, happening this Memorial Day weekend. I’ve been in a flurry these last several days preparing myself and getting everything in order, and as there are a few in my group who have not been to a convention before, it’s made me think of a few tricks I’ve learned over the years that I wish someone had shared with me before my own First Convention. Then I thought, “Well gee, why don’t I just share now?!”
So, for any of you who have been thinking of attending some kind of convention but are intimidated by the sheer chaos seemingly contained in such an event, or for any of you who have finally made the decision to attend your First Convention and might be feeling a little like this:
Embed from Getty ImagesDON’T PANIC! I’m here to help!
Sit back, relax, and let’s begin!
LINGO TO LEARN:
- CON: The word “convention” is shortened to “con” more often than not. So if someone starts talking about “the con/a con/this con/that con” in this environment, they mean the convention, not a convict. Important to know, that one. For practice, I shall refer to conventions as cons for the remainder of this article.
- PANELS: The term “panels”, in relation to cons, refers to the second definition of (noun) “a small group of people brought together to discuss, investigate, or decide on a particular matter, especially in the context of business or government”. Except in this case it’s not in the context of business or government, but mostly in the context of some fandom or another. Or, some type of entertainment medium. “Panelists” are, therefore, the people taking part in leading the resulting discussion.
- MASQUERADE: This does not usually mean a true masquerade ball or dance as you would usually think of one, per se, but almost always refers to the con’s resident costume contest.
- DEALER’S ROOM: Um, no, they aren’t those kind of dealers. The Dealer’s Room is a strange and round-about name for the Exhibitor’s Hall, aka, where people sell stuff. If you want to find and purchase cool stuff related to your fandom/medium/trade of choice, go here!
LOGISTICS!
- LOCATION: Know where the con is being held and at least look at a map to vaguely familiarize yourself with the area and the surrounding streets (and restaurants and grocery stores, just in case).
- PARKING: Figure this out beforehand. Most con websites will have parking info available so you know what to expect. Trust me, you do NOT want to go in there blind day of the con! Don’t forget to have some cash on you in case you have to pay to park!
- HOUSING: If you’re going to an out-of-state con, BOOK YOUR HOTEL MONTHS IN ADVANCE. Otherwise, you won’t get a room. Promise. Don’t try to be cheap by getting an EconoLodge miles away. If you do cons right, chances are you’ll be starving, intoxicated, exhausted and still-in-costume at 2am (or later), and you won’t be wanting to either walk to your hotel and/or arrange transportation to get you there. That’s not to say anything about the next morning, when you’ll miss every panel you were hoping to go to because you overslept and had to drive 30 minutes back to the con hotel and wander around for another 30 minutes or so to find parking.
- TICKETS: Again, the earlier you can get your tickets, the better. Some cons sell out REALLY FAST, and you don’t want to miss out! If there’s a particular one you know you want to attend, stalk their website until the tickets go and sale and purchase immediately, or better yet, sign up for the newsletter if they have one to be notified as soon as tickets become available!
SCHEDULING!
- PLAN AHEAD: Most cons have enough panels going on every day all day long that to even glance at the list will make your eyes cross and your head spin. SO … combat being overwhelmed and completely stressed the day of by combing through the daily schedules from the comfort of your own home well before the con takes place. The con websites will post schedules at least a few weeks in advance. Plenty of time to go through and decide which ones you are most interested in and want to attend. Once you’ve decided, make your own personalized itinerary and don’t forget to TAKE IT WITH YOU! It will be your life-saver, floatation device, jungle guide, your mission map. Most importantly, however, be sure to note in which room your chosen panels will be held so you aren’t scrambling to look up this information later!
- RECON: Look at a map of the con hotel beforehand as well, and at least get an idea of where you will be headed for your panels. Even something as vague as “first floor, fifth floor, then back to first” will be exceedingly helpful when you’re trying to navigate the labyrinth of people and hotel hallways during the ten minutes you’re given between panels.
SUPPLIES FOR SURVIVAL
- PHONE: No, I’m not reminding you to have your phone (like, duh) – I’m telling you what you should do with your phone before the con! Unless you have a small camera, or are attending the con with the express purpose of lugging around one of those giant, professional suckers to take promo pics, use your phone as your camera. Most smartphones take excellent pictures, and trust me, in almost all cases, it’s just better to have as little on your person as possible during a con. A phone is small, portable, and multi-purpose. That being said, if you will for sure be using your phone as your only camera, be sure to save all the current photos off of it to maximize your space pre-con! You will need every possible gigabyte of storage for the multitude of pics, videos, and voice recordings you might want to take throughout the course of the con.
- PURSE/BAG/FANNY PACK, ETC: Yes, you need something to hold your personal items and your goodies. Minimize your personal stuff, take only the most necessary items. I prefer a large purse so that I don’t have to be holding multiple bags if I end up purchasing anything. The purse is large but not giant, not as bulky as a backpack, (and not as um, dated, as a fanny pack), but big enough to hold my wallet, phone, itinerary, notebook and pen, and any toys/books I find to buy. For men, do whatever is most comfortable for you, or just use one of the bags they usually have available in the Dealer’s Room. But the less you have to drag around, the better!
- PERSONAL ITEMS: I mentioned you should bring only the most necessary, but there are a few extras that are equally as important and yet often forgotten until it’s too late:
1) It is extremely prudent to bring a travel-sized deodorant. Wherever you have room to stash it, bring it. Conventions are crowded, often fast-paced, and you have no control over temperature.
2) Also hygiene-related, a toothbrush and toothpaste. Especially if it’s a craft or trade con (for example, a writing con) where you might be networking as much as you are learning things. And honestly, all cons are really networking opportunities, even if you’re going just for fun. Don’t floor a potential new friend or mentor with bad body odor or bad breath! Take a minute in-between panels to slip into the bathroom and freshen up!
3) If you are prone to getting chilly, bring a small lightweight cover-up or jacket that can be folded inside your bag or purse or worn around your waist when not in use in case the AC is cranked up cold as Hoth.
4) CASH. Some dealers don’t take credit/debit cards and none take checks. It sucks to want something really bad and not be able to buy it (this includes autographs and photo opps, if you’re going to a con to see any of your favorite celebrities). Oh and PS, count on the lines for the few-and-far-between ATMs to be VERY long. - NOTEBOOK AND PEN: If you’re going to a con in which you expect to learn something, don’t forget a notebook and pen, or something with which to take notes!
Embed from Getty Images - SNACKS AND WATER: Don’t forget to eat, and drink lots of water! THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! Throw a few granola/energy bars in that purse or bag of yours and a bottle of water, too. Remember to allow yourself time for lunch in the middle of the day! Things can get hectic and crazy in all the hubabaloo and excitement, but you’re not going to enjoy yourself if you don’t stay fueled and hydrated! (Plus, you want to be able to stay up late and party in the Klingon room, right!??!)
TAKE YOUR FRIENDS!
Never underestimate the power of a team working together! Hey, if it works for the Avengers and the Justice League, it’ll work or you!
- SPLIT UP: Cons are notorious for scheduling way too much awesome in too little time, meaning great panels often overlap, and you just won’t be able to hit all the ones you want. You are forced to prioritize. But if you go with a group of like-minded people, you can coordinate your efforts into a cohesive whole. Send each member of your group to a different panel, and each person take notes and/or videos the best bits to later share with the group.
- TEAM UP: Can we say, tag-team of “watch my stuff while I…” or “can you hold this while I…” or “could you take my pic with…” or “hold my place in line while I…” or “you have a break, can you go grab me some food so I can scarf it in the ten minutes between the end of this panel and the start of my next one?” etc etc. Teamwork is golden.
And that about sums it up! These are all of the very most important lessons gleaned from my own, sometimes very unpleasant, experiences over years of attending various conventions. Please learn from my mistakes and go to your First Con armed with knowledge and know-how! Take my advice, and your next adventure in awesome can be all smooth-sailing, fun-times, and smelly-goodness! You’ll skate through the con like a pro and no one will have the faintest clue you’re actually a newb!
SO GO ON OUT THERE AND HAVE FUN!
Embed from Getty Images… you know, on second thought, just stay away from the Klingon room … just … don’t go there …
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