Bøb’s Anime Convention Survival Tips!
am I an expert on the subject?? Well, not really, seeing as how I’ve only been to three conventions, but here are the tips I picked up from attending them, and many of these may be helpful to you if you plan to attend anime cons...
Tip #1: Adjust your sleeping schedule well in advance and learn how to take naps!
if you’re like me and follow the philosophy "early to bed, early to rise.." you’ll have a hard time. Many cool events were held at night and I was falling asleep while watching the 5th ova episode of FY for the first time, and I actually DID fall asleep during the masquerade while we were waiting for the results. There’s also some time during the day when nothing’s going on; a good time to take a nap.
Tip #2: Never drive more than four hours to get there!
since we live 7 to 8 hours away from anaheim, we left at 5:00 in the morning and drove all day. This left us tired all day (and the rest of the trip too, might I add.) we should have left the day before and stopped off at my grandma’s house for the night, or taken a plane.
Tip #3: Always take a parent/chaperone along!
they have to navigate, they have to drive, they have to handle all the little details while you get to sing "100 bottles of beer on the wall" >: )=
Tip #4: Always get a schedule of events first thing and circle the things you want to go to!
because we didn’t do this, we missed karaoke and watase yuu’s panel!!!
Tip #5: Make sure you have a camera that WORKS!
Éd took a lot of pics of cool cos-players, and some watase pics too, but the first roll of film didn’t turn out at all, and the only pics on the second roll that were decent were the pics of us with watase (phew!)
Tip #6: 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 (not knowing this was gonna last for three hours). 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 ^_^
Tip #7: Don’t forget to eat!
and even better, carry a backpack/purse along with some snacky-food items like crackers or fruit. You just might get desperate like we did and pay over $2 for a stupid BROWNIE!!
Tip #8: Stay at the hotel where the con’s being held…or at least at one within walking distance!
in the interests of paying as little money for this trip as possible, my dad booked us at motel 6 in a room with two beds. While this was economically-sound and convieniently close to denny’s, it was annoying having to drive 15 minutes from the hotel to get to the con. You have to plan your day in advance this way and take along everything you’ll possibly need. Forgot that CD for the masquerade?? Too bad, unless you wanna spend 30 minutes getting it. If you stay at the con’s hotel, all you have to do is get in an elevator if you forgot something.
Tip #9: Don’t think that spending all your money on the first day is bad…
let’s face it, you’re gonna spend $200 anyway, so why split it up into three days to make it seem like less?? If you wait ‘till the last day to spend, all the good stuff is gone already and you wind up buying a mini inflatable sailor venus doll like I did…cute though it was ^^;
Tip #10: Masquerade: Never dress as a character with a short skirt on a windy day
Soi’s skirt’s a bit short…no problem! Seeing as how I parade around in a leotard and tights every day in ballet class, it’s no big deal for me, but while Éd and I were walking in costume to the building where the masquerade was, we ran into a long line of screaming girls (screaming at Tomo, naturally, not Soi ;_; ) and a LOT of strong wind. So here I am, trying to punch people out of the way, hold Tomo’s accessories, dodge the cameras, and at the same time, try to keep my skirt from flying up (and let me tell you, I don’t think I succeeded and wouldn’t be surprised if most of the crowd got a good shot of my panties.) wear a long coat or something as you walk into the building. You’re delayed all the screaming girls (if you dress as a guy, that is), the demands for pictures, and (if you dress as a girl) the embarassment of giving everyone a free peep-show ^_^;;
Tip #11: Masquerade: Never go last! Go first instead!
that’s exactly what Éd and I did; went last. All because we had to go back to the hotel (see? see??) and get some things and were running a bit late. We had to sit for a couple hours in a long hall doing nothing and didn’t get to see ANY of the other presentations. Because of this, we didn’t know what the presentations were supposed to be like, didn’t get to cheer for the cool costumes, and didn’t know that a separate judge was going to come around and ask us how we made the costumes, so we just told the audience as our routine. Then some poor angry Raeyarth chick (with a nifty costume, might I add) came up to us and told us that the other cometators were mad because we told the audience how we made the costumes. How were we supposed to know that guy was gonna come around and ask us??? we explained to her that we’re unexperienced and dumb, and she understood, and HOPEFULLY, the others understood too…(after all, we DID get a prize >: p )
Tip #11b: DON'T PARTICIPATE IN THE MASQUERADE!!
You have to wait FOREVER backstage (as much as 5 hours), and you only get 2 minutes ON stage. the judges will NEVER rate your costume the best (no matter how cool it is, or how much effort you put into it...even if you made *real* armor out of *real* metal by pounding, sawing, drilling, sanding, filing, planishing, etc, for over six months you still won't get the prize for "best crafstmanship". NO MASQUERADE!! Reform It! It's much more fun to just walk around in your costumes and have people take your picuture adn tell you how cool you are. It is NOT fun to spend 7 hours of the con at a silly masquerade!! [no offense to the people who run them; they have their work cut out for them...this format of masquerade could just be MUCH more efficient...]
Tip #12: Go in costume the next day…
if you do, you’ll get several people saying how cool you look, how you should have won, and you’ll get an interview with FOX news, and three people will give you their business cards and ask for your names….well, at least that’s what happened to US >: )=
Tip #13: Don’t feel like you always have to be "doing something"
take a break! Sit down in the middle of the hall and put together a sailormoon puzzle!
Tip #14: Compliment the cos-players on how cool they look
I don’t know about Éd’s feelings on the matter, but I never tired of people’s compliments (though I DID get tired of posing for pictures… ^^;;) damn my vanity >: )=
Tip #15: Don't get in a car accident on the way over!
That happened to us on the way to AX'99, and as a result, I missed karaoke!!!! wwaaaaahhh!!!! well, hyeah, my back also hurts like hell from the accident, but I MISSED KARAOKE!!!! ;_;
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