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.
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