Anime Conventions, or cons in general, are a lot of fun! You can hang out with your friends, meet and talk with fellow fans, dress up, look at some great art and merch, and that’s not even the half of it! With all the fun going around and things to see, what are some essential things to remember for a convention?
- Budget
One of the first things to do is to budget your con. Do you have enough for the hotel room? Gas/bus/train expenses? How much do you want to spend on merch? Don’t forget about food! Some cons can be held near cities, malls, or other popular areas so fast food around or in the con could cost an arm and a leg! Another thing to keep in mind is to bring some spare cash. Not all sellers take card, even in this day and age. Some card charges also have an extra fee tacked on so if you want to save a little bit of money, make it wayne with that cash! And ALWAYS have some emergency cash money tucked away in case anything happens.
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- Weather
The second thing to consider is to dress for the weather. Snow, rain, or very sunny, dress to impress! Or at least enough to enjoy the con! Unless the con is fully indoors and you don’t plan on going out, bring some sunscreen, bug spray, an umbrella, or even a rain/winter coat if you plan on staying out long and checking out the areas nearby. Better safe than sick!
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- Shoes
Wear comfortable shoes! The number one thing to happen at a con, especially a big one, is A LOT of walking.Walking to panels, throughout the artist and dealers alleys, and exploring the con requires a lot of footwork. Make sure you have shoes you have already broken into or even an old pair that still works. There are a lot of things to see and do, so shoes are the last thing to be seen, but the most to feel with all the walking.
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- Chargers and back up batteries
Most cons are updating to mobile apps to show all of their panels, have convenient maps (which may require a lot of referencing back to), concerts to record, and pictures to take with cosplayers! Lots of phone activity = lots of battery usage. So keep your charger on hand and hope an outlet is nearby! Or, buy a portable backup battery! A portable backup battery is as it sounds. It’s a small $10 (at most) rechargeable battery that can charge small devices, such as a phone, and give it some extra life, or extend it for a certain amount of time, until you can get back to an outlet! Convenient, cheap, and a greater chance of extending the con fun!
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- Creativity
For those on the creative side, it would be best to bring things that entertain or inspire you! Some lines can be really long or some cons can be really small and not have much to do. Remember to bring your sketchbook, pen/pencil, a notebook, video/board/card games, or even a tablet! Who knows, you may find some inspiration or a friend!
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- Cosplays
Don’t forget your cosplays my friends! Do you have your cosplays laid out for each day and hour?! Do you have the accessories?! wigs?! Make a list of everything you will need for each cosplay! And check it twice! Don’t forget a small repair kit!
Here are some other needs for cosplays
- All the extra bits for the cosplay
- Spare clothes
- Make up
- Make up remover
- Wig
- Iron
- hot glue gun/glue
- lint roller
- safety pins
- wig caps
- bobby pins/hair clips
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- Hand sanitizer
A lot of things happen at cons. Various types of people attend cons. Cons are a mixing pools of fandoms, people, and germs our bodies may not have come across yet. Who knows! Every bit helps!
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- Medicine
Don’t forget your medicine! This is a small reminder, but could be a life saving one at that. I myself have quite a few things going on and have to remember to take my allergy medicine, acid reflux, antibiotics, vitamins, and other various medicines after my surgery. Top priority to remember to pack! Don’t forget the Tylenol/Excedrin for headaches!
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- Water
Whether it’s the weather outside or the busy schedule of cons, remember to drink water! Some cons can go up to four days or more. Stay hydrated! Every little bit helps. Some cons have water fountains but that may not be enough or tasteful. No harm with a bottle on hand!
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- Eat
With so much to do and so little time, one can forget to have a meal or even a snack. Keep a small bag of snacks on hand, extra cash for fast food, or even bring a cooler to keep in the room to have more options to eat. Some, if not most, hotels have an ice machine to keep the cooler cool and rooms usually have a very small fridge that can barely hold anything.
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Cons, big or small, I hope this quick list is helpful for all con goers! Be safe and have fun!
