Convention Attention: Tips For Con-Goers

[Synical Dreamer]

girls, if you're gonna cosplay as a boy (you should all know what i'm about to say) .......bind! pirate
for the love of pineapples men don't have boobige!
and if you're gonna bind with any kind of tape, you might want to put something like cotton over your nipplage so the tape doesn't stick to them and rip them, ouch.

also shower before and after each day of the con. =^_^= dramallama  

[Dictator Shuri]

-if you are going to take a picture, ask first. i can't tell you how many pictures i have found of myself zoning out, talking, eating, that kind of stuff, and its not fun.

-do not over estimate the amount of pants you'll need to bring. pants take up precious luggage space that could be used for stuff you buy in the dealer's room.

-pack only what you need. no you will most likely not need the xbox, ps2 or dozens of manga to read. only exception is if you have a long car ride.  

[ABSOLUTI0N]

To those of you that are new, if someone is walking around with a sign saying Free Glomps!, and you are not sure what a glomp is, DO NOT ASK THE PERSON WHO IS CARRYING THE SIGN... this is a flaw that many a new con-goer makes, and the results are catastrophic... at least to your perception of gravity..

here are some helpful tips when coming across a new term at a convention and wish to know:
1. Stop, drop, and roll
2. Find an adult. tell them where you were touched and proceed to the nearest police officer to annoy him
3. Throw a pokeball at it!
D. Go to your hotel room and nap
5. Go to your hotel room and snack, than proceed with a nap
6. Go to your hotel room, snack, play a collectible card game with yourself (this way you can't lose), then proceed with said nap.
7. ask away! the consequences can't be that bad right..?  

[AirborneInfection]

Battalion Commander Fae

-Don't try get to the stalls before there open, don't even talk about the stalls when they're not open. Did that the Animania and April and i got smacked down by Sailor Moon.
-Don't make out with your boyfriend (if your a guy) you might get photographed if your not careful.

to add to this: don't make out with anyone if you think you might regret it. chances are you WILL get photographed and that kind of stuff moves fast over the internet. People who you might not want to see, will see it. It's happened to me. There is now a video of me dancing in a questionable manner with someone else from a con last year. >>;; I wish to destroy that video.  

[salsaplant]

I has moar!

-Be aware of arse-holes: No matter what you're wearing or what you're doing, chances are at least once per con you will have someone be a douchebag to you. Don't take it personally. You're probably not the first one they've done it to, nor will you be the last. So if you're harrassed by them or whatever, don't let it destroy your fragile psyche-- ignore them and don't let their BS bother you.

-Be distinct in whether you want a picture of someone or with someone-- There is a difference! A simple miscommunication can sometimes lead to this awkward dance-around moment where they try to pose but you try to get in with them and then they get all confused and then they adjust their pose to include you; it's a slightly awkward situation and can sometimes make you come off as a creeper (A guy did that with me and the miscommunication did come off as him being a bit creepy). Also, some weird people will let you take a picture of them, but not with them-- That's a rare occurance, but it does happen :/

-Always have a bag with you! I don't care if it "takes away from your cosplay," there is going to be a point in time where you'll wish you had something to hold your crap in, and if you don't have a bag you'll hand it off to one of your friends to hold your stuff and then you'll forget they have it and it just becomes a huge inconvenience. Trust me, people will let you put your bag down before they take a picture of you-- You're not any lesser of a cosplayer if you carry around a bag with you!

-Don't drink before/at the raves! I cannot stress how much people dislike drunk and disorderly people at the rave. You're supposed to be high off the atmosphere and the music, not off of Ecstacy or booze. And if you're blatantly drunk, you will get kicked out of the rave and it's not worth the hassle. People will avoid you at the rave! Young girls, the creepers will attempt to take advantage of you! Trust me, none of us need alcohol or drugs to have a good time at a convention.  

[Xxclub to death angelxX]

Be aware of what your costume is doing at all times! You dont want some one taking a picture of you with your kimono wide open. This also helps to prevent loss of little parts of costumes (like accessories and buttons).  

[salsaplant]

.:Adjust your sleeping schedule well in advance and learn how to take naps:.
Many cool events are held at night and/or early morning, plus depending on what you're cosplaying, you might have to get up early to prepare and get dressed. There's just too much going on during these days, it's hard not to fall asleep when you're sitting down at a con (especially if you're sitting in a dark room watching anime or the Masquerade) Also if there’s some time during the day when nothing’s going on, that's a good time to take a nap.

.:Always get a schedule of events first thing and circle the things you want to go to:.
That way you know what times you have to get up, when you have free time to nap/eat/change, if there's any conflicts of things you want to see, plus you just get a general jist of what's happening that day.

.:Whenever you find yourself with a moment of free time, go to the bathroom:.
Something comes up and you’re at an event for three hours. You had to go to the bathroom, but you decided to tough it out. Now both you and I know how annoying it can be sitting through something when you’ve gotta go… so if you ever find yourself with free time, go!

.: If you are cosplaying, make a list of all your costumes:.
Then break down each costume piece by piece. Make sure to pack each and every piece on the list, then recheck this list before you leave home and before you leave the hotel as well. I also recommend that you pack each costume in a separate bag, making it easier to check!

.:Bring an emergency sewing kit:.
You never know when a seam might come loose or something won't hold quite like it's supposed to. Bring different colors of thread and needles, safety pins, hot glue and scissors.

.: Be courteous to the hotel:.
Be mindful while in your hotel that not all of the guests are there for the anime convention! Having fun is what a convention is all about, but being excessively loud just ruins the good time for everyone else and makes the hotel less apt to hold the convention there next year.

. biggrin on’t rely on ATMs:.
The ATMs run out of cash, just like anime fans, so don’t depend on being able to refill your wallet from an ATM come Saturday afternoon! Hand in hand with this, make sure your cash is concealed! Keep it in as many different places on your person as possible! Be smart about flashing that hard earned cash!  

[Dymagox]

con survival guide:

1:Have fun, cause no one else can have fun for you
2:be prepared, nothing is worse then not having enough food or money for the con
3:don't be ashamed of who you are, be bold, have fun being you
4:if you do want to be noticed, then do something recognizable that is both impressive and not overdone.
and 5:take a shower, cause if you notice the con funk, it might be coming from you.

Sorry about the brutal honesty of the last one, I have been a product of that one too, so as I said, have fun, and see you all at the cons  

[salsaplant]

.: Take pictures of yourself! :.
If you want pictures of your cosplay, the only person you can rely on getting pictures from is yourself! As much as you might love having your picture taken by other people, they're not obligated to post them up online for you to find or anything like that-- The +100 hours you spend looking through youtube videos or posting in "Did you take my picture" Forums is not as easy as it would be if you or your friends just took the pictures yourself. At least take a few if you want photographic evidence! [[I forgot to do this for NYAF and even though I had over 50 pictures taken of me, I have only been able to find 2 >.< ]]  

[shireishou]

Beside all of those amazing tips, I ussualy brought my own photographer
he/she become my personal photographer
I will free to take another people photo without worrie will never get for my own. hohohohoh  

[Haru-chuu]

Ask people if you can take their pictures! It's courtesy, hihi.

Also! If you'll be simply attending the con (and not cosplaying), be in comfortable clothes. It'll totally help. O.O"

Erm. Sorry if it's not much. OTL sweatdrop  

[exdraghunt]

To reiterate: cosplayers, bring an Emergency Cosplay Repair kit, and know how to use it. There hasn't been a single con where I haven't needed to fix a cosplay for the next day. Also, someone else will undoubtably forget there's and ask you for help.

To go with the last one: SAFTY PINS!!! they are your freind. Find them in all sizes.

Also, it is good to bring a bag. You will need to carry things. But please, don't wear the bag while your picture is being taken, especially if you have an amazing cosplay. Set your bag on the floor, or ask a freind to hold it. (Why its useful to have at least 1 non-cosplaying freind with you at the con)