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Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 11:50 am
by starwolf8989
Ok, so I can't stop thinking about AB '11, and then I got to thinking, 'what am I going to do different this upcoming con?' So I made a list of things that I learned from at last years convention.

Things I learned from AB '10
-Don't bring as much food,
(& don't eat just slim jims all weekend!),
-take the day off before the con, so you can chillax at the pool or something... (and dont have to work)
-Bring extra duffle bag for bought stuff!
-Don't bother brining art stuff, cause you'll be too busy taking pics and going to panels.
-Starlight Ball was awesome, and you're going to the next one!
-go to the dances next year too! & bring some 5hr energy drinks!
-reserve social block, cause quiet block was too much of a hassle to walk back n forth to.
-manga's sell for sets on sundays
-buy stuff on sundays!
-some stuff probably is cheaper on ebay/amazon
-make a better schedule, one that includes a meal time
-get a better purse that can hold lots of stuff, like your camera, actually bring a backpack!

anyone else learn stuff from their Con adventures?

Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 2:18 pm
by KowalaTaco
- dont eat rice-crispys that have been sitting in ur friends purse for 3 days
- if u do eat them then bring a dispposable bag or stay near the bathrooms all day
- dont wear massive amouts of clothing and dance make-up to dances
- bring one of those backpacks that bicyclists use that fills up with water so u can refill at bubbleer
- get hotel insted of commuting with a two hour drive (over speedlimit too)it also saves on gas these days
- dont starv ur self the whooole weekend XD

Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 6:33 pm
by kmcwilliams94
-if u get food from panda express, share it with other people, they give ALOT of food
-DONT wear pleather/ leather to the dance, dress lightly
-get a hotel if you can
-ditch the people that complain alot (my cousin did all ab 2010)
-check out panels

Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 2:46 pm
by master chief
-dont pack too much food.
-dont forget to drink water.
-dont bring too many suit cases becauses lugging them will be a pain.
-pack extra pairs of clothes including a bathing suit if you are staying at a hotel.
-dont forget anything in the hotel room when you leave.

Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 10:51 pm
by kmcwilliams94
BRING EXTRA UNDIES OF DIFFERENT SHAPES, my friend got all chafey.

Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 12:25 am
by troublemaiker
-Dont say "lets touch balls" to a small child when their parents are around

Seriously, I saw one guy almost get knocked out because this parent didn't understand the pokewalker reference. Totally the guys fault for saying that to a child anyways -_-

Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 2:47 am
by alissa37
* Identify yourself to people you know because they might not recognize you under the wig.
* On the subject of wigs, learn how to pin it down better so you're not going to the bathroom every ten minutes to make sure it doesn't look like you have a receding hairline.
* Bandaids. Friggin' bandaids.
* Don't choose three cosplays that all require loafers/uncomfortable shoes. See Bandaids.
* The panels you think will be popular may or may not be, and the panels you think will not will be insanely popular. (WTF, Touhou. In '09 I came in 30 minutes late and still got a seat.)
* Don't expect to find that ridiculously out of print manga in the dealer's room.
* If you've arranged a swap at the swap meet, be very specific as to what time and place to trade and how to identify yourself. The one thing you're saving for someone is the one thing *everyone* wants to trade for.

Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2010 6:50 am
by Roessen
For me:
Do not go with my friends.
Do not eat anything there. (My organs are jerks.)
Do not wear glasses for cosplays that don't have them. (They really kill them for me.)
Friggin' talk to people.
Do not expect people to go talk to you.
Do not buy more than you can carry.
Do not be careless when it comes to cosplay props. (See "do not go with my friends.")
Do not get sick.
Do not pass go.
Do not collect $200.

Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2010 11:49 am
by DuckTapeBunny
-First Aid Kit, I don't know how I managed it but every five minuets OUCH!
-Glue Gun, my poor poor costume, I think the CPHQ people got to know me very well
-Baby Poweder - see bandaids
-At lunch brush your teeth and change your socks it makes you feel so much better
-Don't eat con food! Pack a healthy supply
-Don't not eat! You will end up eating con food!

Things did right
-Take a multi-vitamin every day two weeks before the con and every morning of the con. It helped me stay in decent composure and kept me from getting sick. But if your body dosn't get used to them first it may do more harm then good
-Water = Hydration
-Bathroom! Make sure you can get in and out of your cosplay fast enough to use the loo.
-Body spray! "Can I have a Hug?....OMG you smell awsome!! o.o"

Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2010 2:58 pm
by kmcwilliams94
[quote=DuckTapeBunny]
-Body spray! "Can I have a Hug?....OMG you smell awsome!! o.o"[/quote]

i agree with that statement

Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:26 am
by Dancingkat888
um lets see... things i learned...

~ actually bring a camera. cuz a camera phone just dont cut it.
~ NEVER get a room that connects to your drama-prone friend's. even IF you've known him since the 5th grade.
~ Don't try to take the T back to the hotel (all the way across town) from the con at 1 in the morning b/c ur trying to save money.
~ ESPECIALLY dont do that when that same drama-prone friend "knows the way back" from the station that JUST SO HAPPENS to be closed.
~ cabs are ur friend. ur very, VERY good friend.
~ If going with friends or family, chances are, yer gonna wanna split up. so make sure EVERYBODY has their own phone.
~ unless you want ur best friend kickin yer butt, DO NOT disappear mid-dance to go off to the middle of the dance floor and make out with the chick you've been glued to all weekend. (cuz then i gotta go pry you off her and drag you off to the rest of the group, who screams at you because we were supposed to leave, like an hour ago... you know who you are...)
~ if taxi's are your friends, then water is your friend-with-benefits.
~ always have (at least) an extra $5 on you in case you run out of fluids. it'll cost that much just for a bottle of water outta the vending machine...
~ get dance tickets online when you pre-reg. otherwise, you end up running 6 blocks to the con center like a maniac screaming "OMG THEY WENT ON SALE 20 MINUTES AGO WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE IT!!!" when the T breaks down...
~ bring a sewing kit and duct tape.
~ always have them on your person.
~ also carry deodorant.
~ two words: COMFORTABLE SHOES
~ Bandaids.
~ Do not keep sewing needles loose in your bag. chances are, you'll end up scrating your leg as you race to make the crosswalk.

Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 1:02 pm
by yesnomaybe
Things I've learned.....
-don't expect to get your picture taken. you might, you might not, depends on the people, the place the time, etc.
-SAFTEY PINS! those things saved my life last year when my dress kept slipping below my cape!
-bring entertainment for the lines! my friend brought her DS and was happy waiting
-don't be afraid to ask to take somebody's picture! people at cons are usually very friendly, and who knows, you might just make their day!
-bring money! the dealers' room and artists' alley are fun, but sometimes a little pricey
-remember: if you use spray paint on anything, especially clothing items, it'll probably chip
-WATER WATER WATER WATER! if you want to live drink water! (okay, that one was probably obvious)
-make sure every part of your costume is comfortable. you wouldn't want to be walking around with anything hurting you

If I think of anything else I'll add on!

Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 9:24 am
by FarFromRedemption
Things I learned not to do:
-Do not wake up late when you have to meet for a event meeting
- Do not eat Panda Express and nothing but Panda express
- Do not argue with the older women in the bathroom who tell you that you are a boy, just leave and go to the hotel room for the bathroom
-Do not started talking like Russia when you are cosplaying Tamaki Suoh

Things I learned to do:
-Do make epic props and bring them to VA panels so J. Micheal Tatum can pick on every Allen Walker in the room in the voice of Komui while you taunt Allen with the giant Drill you made. XD
-Do learn your character before going to the con
-Do Bring a hot glue gun, someone will need it
-Do bring an extra white dress shirt, someone will need it

Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 12:32 pm
by Phantom 1
Don't yell Marco Polo at a deaf person.
The game is not lost until the pocky is all gone.
If you give blood, wear a T-shirt (or cosplay as Duke Nukem, your choice).
Raise your hand if you want to ask questions in a panel.
Bostonians are actually helpful, it's the Detroitans you should watch out for.

And the most important thing I've learned.

The cake is never a lie, for I have seen the cake and it is good.

Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2010 11:21 am
by Heartswyrd
Things I learned the hardway.

1) Choosing a priest character and lugging around a nun puppet is a bad Idea for an Easter AB.

2) Creating your own apparatus to latch the above puppet to your person without trying it out before the con also a bad idea.

3) If your prone to heat exhaustion and nervous sweating do not wear a bulky and complex costume that you need assistance getting out of when you've had enough.

4) When your mom says she'll bring a friend up to Boston with her to wander the city while your at the con because your roomies ditched you 2 weeks before the con footing the bill. Make sure she pays ahead of time.

So Lessons learned.
Confirm who's rooming with you and make sure they pitch in.

Think hard about your cosplay, though you may have an epic idea, sometimes your in just a little over your head.

Most important, just because a "normie" says that they're offended by your cosplay, don't let it ruin your day. They just don't know that the reference is to something completely foreign to what the social majority says they should be offended about. Just because they are close minded doesn't mean that everyone else has to be.

Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 10:19 am
by Magical
I had a lot of fun at AB10. :] Here are mine:

DO-
-Bring glowsticks for nighttime hotel window dance parties.
-Have hotel window dance parties. period.
-Bring a pokewalker. Everyone has one. mad gifts. <3
-Participate in Marco Polo, Abraham Lincoln, Jesus Christ, ect.
-Give blood. that's fun. :]
-Eat. Always eat. I never do, but it's nice to do. :D
-Be friendly to everyone.
-Go to the dance and dance with FRIENDS. :]
-Get to the line early for cool panels, masquerade, ball, ect.
-Bring underwear. T_T it's not fun forgetting it. Especially in a skirt.
-Stay up as late as possible. :]
-Call the people who put their numbers on the windows from *67.

DONT
-Have good vision or wear your glasses if there's a naked man in the window across the hotel. It will freak you out every time you see a goatee. Seriously.
-PUT SOAP OR BLANKETS OR PAPER ON THE WINDOWS. Or your number. If you get reported, it's easy for even me to figure out where your room is, it won't be hard for the hotel staff. You can be kicked out.
-Bring like, twelve pairs of jeans. You might not wear them if you bring cosplay.
-Wear jeans, long sleeves, sweatshirts, boots, ect. to the dance. It's too hot. Wear as little clothes as can keep you decent and not looking like a prostitute.
-Dance with strangers. It's much funner to just dance with your girl friends. :] There's much less pressure.
-Be drunk, underage, and throw up all over the hotel. Learned that from AAC when multiple teenagers got drunk and made the hotel staff end the dance because they couldn't hold their liquor.
-Be freaked out by the more strange con-goers. They're just people who love anime, sometimes pokemon, if you know the particular guy i might be thinking of. He's nice. It's okay.
-Make fun of people's cosplay, or them in general. I find that cons are places where I can really be myself, be confident, and not care what people will say, but for some people cons are stressful because they need to keep up the image of their character. Don't take things too seriously.
-Forget shampoo, conditioner, body wash, deodorant, all that good stuff. Please don't let yourself smell.

And last but not least, don't jump off of the window sill in your hotel room. You will fall and die if you have short legs like me, and the rug burn hurts and bleeds and makes you look dumb. ^.^

Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 8:35 pm
by IAmValor
DO
  • [li]Get into Boston the night before. You really don't want the hassle of the morning commute, especially if you're driving by car.[/li][li]Use the MBTA garage for storing your car. Alewife Station was a whole lot cheaper then the cost of hotel parking.[/li][li]Pre-register, pre-register, pre-register! Save yourself a few bucks and gain the advantage of Thursday badge pickup to avoid the Friday morning lines.[/li][li]Bring extra money. Murphy's Law will strike and you will need it.[/li][li]Keep your meal money seperate from your spending money. Food and water are a bit more important than, well, ANYTHING.[/li][li]Keep water handy and drink it often. Hydrate or die![/li][li]Go with a group of good friends. Leave the drama club at home.[/li][li]Go to the Starlight Ball. Take the step out of your comfort zone, try something new, and make a donation to a good cause.[/li][li]Have good hygene. It'll make everyone happy.[/li]

DON'T
  • [li]Pack your hotel room beyond 4 people. Sure, they may be your friends, but if you're sharing bed, you may unwillingly find out how much your friend likes to snuggle.[/li][li]Forget to double check that you have everything. Getting told by a member of your group that they don't have any pants can turn things awkward.[/li]

I've got a few other bad memories from last year, but they may break the boundaries of a PG rating.

Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 6:36 am
by nagash
Not to do:
1. Do not make committments. It's one thing to say, when in the room or at an event, that you'll do something, but, in my case, passing 2 people I knew in the hall and not having time to chat, hurt, as it would be months before receiving the info I could've gotten on that day.
2. Not know where I'm going. I took the opporunity to get all the cards for Asmadi Games convention card game. This took an enormous amount of time, though, due to the time it took to find all the artist alley dealers who had them (not to mention the general amount of time it took just to move around in that room).

Things to do:
1. Bring more cash.
2. Arrive late, lest I wind up muzzling a Marco Polo player standing next to me in the admissions line.
3. Definitely take another opportunity to destroy Boston in Die Kaiju Boston.
4. Bring a second battery for my camcorder.


Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 10:21 pm
by spiceandwolf100
bring plenty of money

Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 9:52 am
by PatrickD
[quote=Magical]DO-
-Bring glowsticks for nighttime hotel window dance parties.
-Have hotel window dance parties. period.
-Participate in Marco Polo, Abraham Lincoln, Jesus Christ, ect.
-Call the people who put their numbers on the windows from *67.[/quote]
No. Don't.

Hotel window parties are one of the reasons the hotel doesn't give you guys cheaper rates and insists on higher check-in ages. Behave and they will be nicer to us, it's that simple.

As for Marco Polo and yelling out other crap, just stop. It's just freakin' annoying now.

Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 8:31 pm
by Fetch
[quote=PatrickD][quote=Magical]DO-
-Bring glowsticks for nighttime hotel window dance parties.
-Have hotel window dance parties. period.
-Participate in Marco Polo, Abraham Lincoln, Jesus Christ, ect.
-Call the people who put their numbers on the windows from *67.[/quote]
No. Don't.

Hotel window parties are one of the reasons the hotel doesn't give you guys cheaper rates and insists on higher check-in ages. Behave and they will be nicer to us, it's that simple.

As for Marco Polo and yelling out other crap, just stop. It's just freakin' annoying now.[/quote]

Very well said, sir.

I myself am amazed that it only takes 2 idiots yelling to turn a crowd into a mob of idiots yelling.

Also, just to let all of you know: putting anything on the hotel windows is against the hotel's rules.

Things I learned from last years Con...

Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2010 10:50 pm
by masterofplush
do
-bring charged cell phones, it makes finding the rest of your group for lunch so much easier
-have emergency sewing kit, things happens, stuff breaks, fact of life right there
-avoid hot glue, going through the con with second degree burns on the right ring and pinkie fingers is one of the worst pains, and it leaves scars.
-bring boxes of bandaids even if you don't need them someone you know or run into might. bandaids are your friends after all

don't
-wait till thursday night to do your cosplay, PLAN i did for all the good it did me my friends forgot and she didn't sleep the entire con and i stayed up with her to work out kinks in my coustume as well as hers (player 4 if your reading this this means you) they will either endup sleeping or cranky niether is good
-go near hot glue guns, i know i mentioned it twice but it was that painfull
-forget water, food, deoderant, showers, and basic higenic needs. (I had alot of people at my place and boys get smelly easily especialy if their lugging around huge costumes)
-forget to have fun thats what your there for, in all the drama and tiredness i think i was one of the few who remebered this for the entire weekend