conventions - The Otaku Black Guy

How to prepare to attend an anime/sci fi convention.

Whether you have attended several conventions (I have been attending anime/sci fi cons for well over 20+ years) or this year will be the first time you’re attending one, these are a few tips for preparing to attend an anime/sci fi con based on my personal experiences.

Make note of the day or days of the convention. This one may seem pretty obvious. However, I’ve had several friends who has missed attending a con because he or she forgot what day or days the con was.

Pay attention to the posts on the cons social media pages and/or website. These posts usually contains information about the status of the convention, like registration fees, hotel reservations deadlines and so on. These are very important so check these posts often!!

Have a budget plan. Conventions can be costly, especially if you’re going solo. If you can room with some friends at hotel room or commute a short distance to a con, you can save yourself a lot of money.

If you’re going to cosplay (or crossplay) give yourself more time than you need to finish your costume on time. I recommend that if you need to buy materials online, try to get everything you need at least two months(or more) ahead in advance. Lately, there has been several delays on shipments from not only foreign countries, but items from here in the U.S. It’s always better to get your materials early than late. Also, the benefits of getting materials early is that, if the item doesn’t fit or work out for you, you can either get a refund or exchange for the item (depending on the company’s policy of course).

Bring some over the counter medication like Aleve and Pepto Bismol with you. Aleve is a NSAID, which is a pain reliever. This is good not only for cosplayers but even regular attendees. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been in pain or discomfort from excessive walking or wearing cosplay shoes which, over time, gave me foot and other pains throughout my body. Pepto Bismol, Kao Pectate, or any other anti-diarrheal/anti-nausea is also recommended to bring to a con with you. The reason why is this: you eat or drink something at the con that your stomach doesn’t agree with. Instead of being stuck in the hotel room or a restroom for an hour (or hours depending on the severity), you take your anti-diarrheal medication which calms your stomach down. Now you can go back and attend your events as normal.

These are just a few recommendations I can think of right now. Are there some tips I missed that you can recommend on this list? Be sure to comment below.

Staying healthy at anime cons this year (and possibly next year as well).

Image: Kakashi Hatake from Naruto.

Over the past few months, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of cases of Covid-19. The strain of the corona virus that is highly contagious now is the Delta variant. From animeco ns.com, several conventions are postponing, canceling or going virtual in the next couple of months. While many anime cons are still planning to hold an in person convention (though this is very subject to change), here are some recommended advice you should consider before attending any anime (or large event) conventions:

Get fully vaccinated before the con. I know that there are cases out there were some people who were fully vaccinated still got sick with covid. However, from the stories I read, those infected people were able to recover quickly and had mostly mild symptons. Also, getting fully vaccinated gives other con goers (especially con staff) some relief knowing that you are being responsible for your health and the well being of everyone else.
Wear a face mask inside the con. Several cons now are making it mandatory that you wear a face mask inside the building. Outside however, you can take your mask off for photos or photoshoots. However, still practice social distancing and good hygiene.
If you are sick or feeling sick, check with the medical staff to see if it is okay for you to stay at the con. If the medical staff considers you a health risk and encourages you to go back home, then ask registration and/or other hotel or staff members for either a refund or to roll over your membership and/or hotel fees to the next con. Believe me, I’m pretty sure that your health is more important than a con. Also, a good con will allow you to roll over your membership and fees for the next con, considering the circumstances everyone is facing now.
Finally, if you feel uncomfortable going to any cons right now, then consider postponing until next year. I know that many of you (myself included) miss going to cons last year. However, the safety and health of everyone is very important now more than ever. Take care everyone and stay safe and healthy.