Convention Tips: Part One!
While fan conventions can be an amazing, fun, crazy-in-a-good-way experience, it can also be an overwhelming, stressful, why-did-I-ever-think-this-was-a-good-idea type experience! I’ve come up with a small series of convention tips that will be posted in three parts over the month of August to help you make your con experience as enjoyable as possible!
All of these tips are pulled from my experience with different conventions over the last few years, both things that I wish I would have done differently and tips I have picked up from other con-goers. Let’s get to it!
Don’t overpack. I mean this one so hard, it’s the first on the list, and I’m going to say it again: DO NOT OVERPACK. I’ll never live down drag my big-ass duffel bag through the Minneapolis airport while Beth rolled her cute, smartly-packed bag over to the rental car counter. We were there for four or five days and I honestly was prepared for a two-week stay, if not longer. I didn’t wear even half of the clothes I brought “just in case”, had a lot of trouble doing my makeup because I brought too much of it and couldn’t decide what to do with my face when I got ready in the morning, and almost didn’t have enough room for the things I picked up at the convention. Here’s a few specific tips to help with not overpacking:
o Pick your outfits ahead of time. This year, I’ve been planning my outfits for the Supernatural Minneapolis Convention for an embarrassing length of time which I refuse to specify. Once you’ve got your outfits picked, stick to them. Maybe throw in one back-up outfit if you’re a klutz like me and liable to spill something on your carefully selected clothing. o Travel Size Containers. Even if you’re checking your bag, you don’t need to bring the full-size bottles of shampoo and conditioner and all those other fun toiletry items us ladies love to use. You save space by using travel size containers. I usually find them for a dollar or two at Wal-Mart. o Bag Size. If you’re not working with a big bag, you can’t pack a lot into it. Simple as that. o Go with an easy makeup look. Really, you don’t need to bring your whole collection with you! Go with something easy and natural. The exception here would of course be if you’re cosplaying, but I’ll cover that in a bit.
o Don’t pack the night before. At least have a packing list ready. I’ve found that the more last minute I do things, the more I throw in “just in case”.
Shoes! This one could go hand in hand with packing – I’m having to re-configure an outfit or two for a convention I’m attending later this month so that I’m not taking up space with a pair of lace-up boots and those cute brown booties I really wanted to wear in a photo op (in which they probably won’t be seen anyway) – but it’s important enough to serve its own purpose as well: comfort. Conventions are super fun to go to, and often, there’s a lot to see. You could potentially be (read: will be) doing a lot of walking, so you don’t want shoes that rub or pinch. Standing in lines is inevitable, especially if you’ve purchased autograph or photo op passes. Depending on the parking situation, or where your hotel is in relation to the convention venue, that could add to your number of steps. This is a good one to keep in mind when designing a cosplay, too!
Have a convention budget. As I learned for the Salute to Supernatural Convention in Minneapolis last year, it’s so easy to drop a disgusting – I repeat, disgusting – amount of money on conventions. Photo ops, autographs, meet & greets, travel, vendor areas, hotel, food … it adds up fast, my friends. Set a budget and stick to it! Otherwise you’re going to find yourself in a financial hole you’ll have to dig yourself out of with your bare hands. Fortunately, I didn’t go that crazy last year, but I did use a good portion of my savings and put some things I really didn’t need on a credit card. Set your budget and only make exceptions for the things you really can’t live without – the-once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.
Don’t be afraid to make friends! Everyone is at the convention with common interests! I was talking with a friend recently about how, until you attend a convention, it’s easy to fall into a place where you feel like you have to “hide” your nerdiness. I know, that’s not everyone, but I’m here to tell you, if that is you, conventions are the place to let your freak flag fly! You’re going to be standing in those lines with people around you for a good amount of time. Chatting up people helps pass the minutes, and you might even get some good convention tips if they’re con-vets, or maybe you can share some helpful info with them! You never know when you’ll be making a lifelong friend.
How to tie all of this in with cosplay. First, let me say this – pick your cosplay as early as you can. It makes planning so much easier! Consider your travel plans; if you’re flying to the convention city, will you have to check an extra bag? How much will that and all the supplies you need to make your cosplay add to your convention budget? For the love of your feets, make some well-thought-out considerations about what footwear goes best with your cosplay. This Wonder Woman cosplay (credit: Found it on Google Image Search) is simple and adorable – she probably didn’t have to pack much extra for it, including makeup, which is important to remember! But, damn, my dogs would have been barkin’ by the end of the day! Granted, I don’t wear heels often. A flat, red, lace-up boot would be excellent with that cosplay as well, though I do understand it takes away from the cosplay a bit. As far as budgeted, relatively-simple cosplays, I highly suggest you check out @skinwalkerconfessions. Beth is extremely creative and very good at thinking outside the box – not to mention, she’s been doing cosplay for a few years now, and she’s got the skinny on ways to fudge here and there to make a cosplay affordable and easy to travel with and all that good stuff.
That does it for part one of my convention tips. Next time, we’ll talk about electronics, travel plans, and more! Make sure you follow (and maybe even subscribe?) so you don’t miss anything!