The Convention Guide, Part Two – So You Got There!

via Pop Culture Geek

Dorkadia’s Convention Guide; Part 2, is part of a semi-regular ongoing series of articles for handy tips and information for the convention season.

You’ve figured out WHICH convention is YOUR convention, how you’re getting there, and where you’re staying. Now it’s time to think about what you’re going to do when you get there, starting with…getting there.

Sorry Seattle, but the Baltimore Con Center will always be my first and true love.

 Before you step in the car or on the plane, pack thoroughly. Conventions are usually held in tourist areas so essentials can be super overpriced. Other helpful basics to think about are a sewing kit for those cosplay accidents/alterations (make sure you don’t need help going to the bathroom in your costume – this coming from that person helping out by holding up your  fake armor in the next stall over), cell phone/laptop/etc chargers (or spare batteries), and cheap snacks. It’s an old joke that the community as (thankfully and mostly) moved passed, but there really is something to be said for remembering the deodorant and using it…a  lot.

Now you’re ready to go! So when IS the best time to get to a convention? For cons I’ve traveled to, I’ve always liked grabbing the extra night at a hotel or on someone’s couch and coming in the day before the con begins. The extra afternoon and evening gives you a chance to settle in, do those last minute touch-ups on your costume and most importantly, scope the location.

Being familiar with the con’s location outside of the hotel or convention center is really handy. Food can end up as a last minute scramble during the con, so being aware of what’s in walking distance of the con will really save you some effort. Other useful things to keep an eye out for are ATMs, public transit, mini-marts, large grocery stores, coffee shops and places to procure alcohol (if you’re of legal age in the area, of course). Sometimes convention forums will have Google maps pinned with places of note and even feedback like restaurant pricing and good parking spots.

Harlan Ellison at a Star Trek convention. While cons have gotten better, pipe smoking was a significant loss in the cool factor.
via Pip Lagenta

Coming in a day early also gives you a chance to enjoy some of the location’s cool stuff at a leisurely pace without trying to squeeze sightseeing into a crowded convention schedule. Otakon, for example, is held at the Baltimore Convention Center, smack-dab in the heart of the gorgeous Inner Harbor area. Chilling out on a Thursday in Inner Harbor meant that I was the only person in a square mile to find pocky, which at the time was as good as gold (it was much harder to come across on the East Coast in 2001) and earned me a ton of free swag and great trades during the con itself. Little stuff like this, or even being able to give other con-goers helpful advice (“I NEED THIS SIGNED COPY OF MANOS BUT I HAVE NO MONEY LEFT AFTER I BOUGHT THIS MOLD OF TORGO’S FACE.” “There’s an ATM three blocks to the north.”) can really improve your con experience.

On the first day of the convention, I have a tradition of showing up as early as I can handle (which thoroughly involves how many places to procure alcohol I was able to find the night before) and getting in the entrance line. While lines are a frustrating and annoying part of most conventions, this first line is fun for me because I pull out the guidebook that’s usually available at the door and plan out what I’m going to do at the con. With the advent of the smartphone, this system is even easier. A lot of cons now use apps like Guidebook and upload their entire schedule, as well as news announcements and maps. Most apps even design a streamlined schedule for you after you select which events you want to attend. This is way easier than trying to remember to pack a yellow highlighter like I used to do.

Having a schedule isn’t for everyone, but I’ve found it works the best for me, especially for larger cons where moving from place to place potentially consumes a lot of time. I don’t recommend planning your schedule down to

the minute – pick a few events you’re really interested in and plan around those. Fit time for dealers’ rooms or expo halls between events. Think about when you’re going to want meals or a break. Don’t forget to leave time for lines, especially for main events, concerts and popular panels. Consider grabbing food and eating it while you wait in long lines – that kind of simple multi-tasking can make line-waiting far more tolerable and save you time overall.

One of the other difficult things to swing at a convention is spending time with people. Cons are a popular place for internet meet-ups and seeing friends from other places. Your mileage may very, but I hate trying to schedule something with a big group of people during the day of a con. Finding a panel or event to go to together isn’t too bad, but I will never again travel around a convention with more than one person and often (as my husband has REPEATEDLY complained) I’m really bad at doing a con even WITH just one person.

At cons I follow Sonic’s motto – ‘GOTTA GO FASTER, FASTER!’
via Pop Culture Geek

The problem is that there’s just so much to do at most cons that there’ll be differences in opinions about what to do/where to go next. Not to mention how easy it is to lose track of people or the inevitable WE’RE LATE rush which is exactly when someone decides they have to hunt down the bathroom and someone else desperately needs to smoke a cigarette. After-parties are an incredibly fun part of cons and that’s always been in my experience, the best time to enjoy things with your friends.

Cons are great place to meet new friends, too. Strike up conversations when you’re stuck in that long line or offer a polite opinion at the vendor table. A lot of nerds (myself WAY included) are socially awkward penguins, but face it – if you’re at a con, you’ve already got something in common with every other attendee there. Just don’t forget to exchange contact information. I’ve met some of my best friends at cons…for the weekend, until I’ve gotten home and realize that I forgot to get that email address or Facebook contact.

That’s it for Part 2! Stay tuned, over the next few articles we’ll talk about con etiquette, how to find surprisingly awesome events, money management and even dealers’ room haggling.

Upcoming conventions include: FanimeCon (May 24-27; San Jose, CA), A-Kon 24 (May 31-June 2; Dallas, TX), The World Horror Convention (June 13-16; New Orleans, LA), LeakyCon (June 27-30; Portland, OR), Anime Midwest (July 5-7; Chicago, IL)