Enjoy Any Convention!
Hey everyone! So recently I went to an amazing convention (Penny
Arcade Expo) and had a fabulous time. For you wonderful people that already are
caught up on my blog, you know that the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) is a video game
convention. So basically, I had my first experience going to a convention that
I’m actually interested in. If you are interested in my experience, I wrote
another blog about that! Click here to read all about my PAX extravaganza! I
just love that word, ‘extravaganza’, don’t you?
This article is going to be about how to enjoy a convention.
An advice blog basically, which I enjoy writing :D. I had a really good time at
PAX, but in all honesty, I could have made it even more of a blast. However,
with any special event, comes a lesson.
How to actually enjoy a convention.
Be Realistic!
Alright, so it is good to keep a positive outlook on things,
don’t get me wrong! But even the most positive people need to be realistic.
First of all, a convention means, thousands
of people. You are going to get stepped on, pushed, rubbed against, hit, squished,
and smell some interesting body odor (shiver). This may seem obvious, but I saw
so many people complaining about how many people there were. I pretty much face
palmed at that point, because of course there is going to be a lot people! Here are things you will come across at events with large
amounts of people.
·
Lines. I
hate these just as much as you do. I am a very impatient person! But the
reality is, if you want to go to a special event you are going to have to stand
in line (Or even grocery shop for that matter). What I recommend is to bring
something to do! What I did was socialize with the people around me (weird that
we can communicate without technology, isn’t it?), play on my DS, and played
games on my boyfriend’s phone. There are a ton of things to do while you wait
in line, I even saw a few people knitting!
·
Not
Everyone Cares About Smelling Good. People Sweat. People have bodily
functions. That’s all there is to it. Just make sure to keep a far distance
away from those people, if at all possible. If not, plug your nose.
·
People
Are Mean. There are going to be a few grumpy downers at any place. So don’t
let these mean people put you down! Especially at an event you paid for. For
how to deal with the rude people, read my article on how to deal with the villains
of your story!
·
Bathrooms
Are Going To Be Packed. As someone who has to pee quite often (just ask my
boyfriend) this piece of reality really sucks. You have to be creative in
finding a bathroom that doesn’t have an hour wait at conventions. You may even
have to walk quite a bit to find one! There isn’t a lot of advice for this one,
all you can really do is to be prepared.
Money Money Money
Unfortunately in this world, we need money to survive,
especially at a convention. You could tell yourself you won’t buy anything and
that you’ll pack all your food. However, we all know we have trouble in
actually accomplishing the ‘I won’t spend any money’ rule. If you plan to bring
food, that’s great! But always bring extra cash for food just in case you
decide that turkey sandwich is not up to your taste bud needs.
Odd are the convention isn’t going to be right next to your
house. (If so count yourself lucky!). So you will have to probably take in
account of hotel expenses. Which honesty will be expensive considering
conventions are in popular cities. Hopefully you can find someone close to the
convention that will let you crash at their place. If not, have a lot of
friends stay in one hotel room!
And of course you can’t forget money for just plain fun!
Conventions will be pushing all sorts of pretty things in your face to buy. If
you are on a strict budget (like me) then you should grab as much free stuff as
you can! You can get stickers, pins, posters, and T-Shirts all for free! I got
a ton of stuff from PAX and didn’t spend a single cent on it. If you do have
extra money to spend, decide on a certain amount you will spend before you walk
through those doors.
Take Time To Relax
I know going to a convention can be over whelming. You want
to do every single thing they have to offer, you paid for it after all! But in
reality, if you over do it, you are going to get burned out. And trust me,
conventions are no fun on the second day if you burned yourself out already! So
make sure you save extra time for yourself to lay in bed, watch some TV, or
read some blogs (wink wink).
Unless there is a certain event right when the convention
opens, I suggest sleeping in! If you feel well rested you will be able to enjoy
the convention all night long. And come on, you know you love sleeping in.
Stop Walking Around
And Do
It is fun to walk around looking at all the nifty stuff the
convention has. I think it is amazing how far big conventions will go in decorating
their event. All the lights, stands, and weird costumes people have! However,
walking around looking at everything can be good for a few minutes, but after a
while you’ll become incredibly bored! I suggest looking around, and when
something catches your eye, go to that specific stand or place! See what they
have to offer and do. That way you
can look at all the neat stuff, but still be mentally entertained.
Let’s Wrap It Up
Conventions are a lot of fun, especially when it’s something
you are interested in. But you have to take in account of what your mind and
body needs! If you forgot about the simple things in life, you are not going to
have a good time! I hope after reading this article, you are excited to go to a
convention and have a blast. I know I did J
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