Anime Boston

Ok folks, as con draws closer and closer to a close for this year, it's time to reflect on what we have learned about ourselves and cons.

1: Do not be a stickler to the schedule. If you meet some cool people and don't want to leave them to go to a panel, then don't leave. This year was the first year I actively skipped a panel to hang out with someone I'd met at con, and I've now made multiple friends.

2: Don't be afraid to ask to join games in lines of you're next to the group. I'm not advocating cutting the line, but if people are playing Channel A next to you and you want to join, ask to join. It can't hurt and you may make new friends.

3: Always use a lanyard or clip to keep your badge close. I had a friend drop her's because she didn't use one and we spent over an hour running around in an attempt to locate it.

4: People are nicer than you think. I've asked people to hold things real quick and I've been complimented so many times on my cosplay. This year I felt the true good in the people of con, and it's really nice.

5: Never feel alone. If you don't have anyone to hang out with, find a group of people who are wearing cosplays from the same series. Don't force your way in, but talk about the fandom, make a few good jokes. You'll make friends quickly.

Bring a phone charger! On Friday, my phone died on me and I luckily had the sense to go across to Walgreen's and buy a USB charger; saved my weekend. I would've been up a river creek if I hadn't done that.

Make sure to properly explain yourself before giving a random person a gift, and if a person says no just tell them "Okay." and walk away.

(I do want to apologize to the Sheik cosplayer I freaked out by handing them [well, maybe forced would be a better choice of words, sadly] a Legend of Zelda blind ball. I had thought it would be neat to deliver it in character [and even then it took me a bit to work up the courage to even approach someone I don't know], but after I noticed your discomfort I just explained what I was doing when I handed out the others I had.)

If anything is over approximately 5lbs, it needs to go through prop check. Even if it isn't an actual weapon.

Even if it matches your lolita coord, don't wear heels without innersoles for the entire day.

Take pictures of anyone who takes unsolicited pictures of me. See how they like it, and be able to report them if they get physical or step over the line

Here's a good lesson learned: A portable steamer is an amazing thing to have if you travel with your cosplays. I have major issues with irons, but I got a little steamer, and it worked wonders!
Also, it doesn't matter how much you break them in, some boots are just not meant for walking. But I wear my blisters as battle scars and would most likely do it again.

WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES CAUSE YOU'LL BE WALKING/STANDING ALL DAY AND YOUR POOR LEGS WILL REGRET IT!

Get a better phone provider. I had zero service almost everywhere I went, in the middle of downtown of a major city. What the actual frack? I missed so many friend hang out sessions because of that.

royalbakaness wrote:Here's a good lesson learned: A portable steamer is an amazing thing to have if you travel with your cosplays. I have major issues with irons, but I got a little steamer, and it worked wonders!

OMG, gonna heed your advice on this!!!! The room's iron melted a piece of my skirt, so next year I am soooo not trusting them anymore

My lesson: don't put the hotel key into same lil pouch as your subway pass, as somehow this'll make both malfunction. Yes, I am completely aware how dumb this reads

Double-check that the panel you want to see is in the Sheraton and not the Hynes, because once you leave the convention center you're not getting back through security anytime soon.

MAKE SURE YOUR PHOTO ID IS PLASTIC. Apparently, the security will not let you enter 18+ events unless your form of ID is plastic or a passport. I unfortunately was not allowed in 18+ events, since all I had as an ID was my paper learner's permit.

Also, if you need contacts-- make sure you bring spare ones as well. I lost one of my contacts in the midst of putting on my cosplay on Friday and had no choice but to wear my glasses instead for the con. Total disappointment with myself.

1: Don't go next year.

Sakura-chan wrote:Get a better phone provider. I had zero service almost everywhere I went, in the middle of downtown of a major city. What the actual frack? I missed so many friend hang out sessions because of that.

One of my friends had the same problem (mostly inside the convention center itself) with T-Mobile. It all depends on where the service has their cell towers. If your service doesn't have more than one to cover the city, then yeah, you'll have reception issues. Especially in the middle of a whole bunch of tall buildings which can weaken the signal if there are too many of them between you and the tower.

As for things I learned...

1.) Never ever wear a wig with a 3 foot long ponytail clip that you have to clip to your own hair through the base wig just to keep the whole assembly from falling off the back of your head. It will slowly slide backwards anyways (even if it doesn't come off), you will have a raging headache within an hour and no quantity of Tylenol will completely dissipate, and your scalp will be numb by the end of the day.

2.) Don't carry a backpack. Carry a smaller bag (messenger bag or purse-type) that is just big enough for whatever you need like your phone, wallet, hotel key, and 3DS. It makes getting through security go just that much more quickly for both you and everyone behind you.

3.) Make sure to charge your 3DS and phone every night, and to check your Street Passes often.

4.) Don't trust the schedule for the video showing rooms. They lie to you. Only the TV monitors will tell you the truth.

5.) No matter how warm you think your costume is, bring a jacket anyways.

6.) Don't carry a sword horizontally behind your waist. It makes getting through crowded areas very difficult, and if people don't notice it and give way, your (cheap, plastic, Halloween prop) sword will bend and threaten to break.

7.) If the company that made the series you're cosplaying from has a booth in the Dealer's Room, stop by that booth. Sometimes you get a cute token of appreciation (and your picture taken for their Instagram) if the people managing the booth recognize your character.

yunaofparadise wrote:WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES CAUSE YOU'LL BE WALKING/STANDING ALL DAY AND YOUR POOR LEGS WILL REGRET IT!

This is a lesson my wife learned the hard way. She confined herself to the hotel room about 6:00 pm for that very reason. I'm so very grateful to have a girl who means it when she says to me, "Go have fun! I'll be okay!"

Here's something my clever wife came up with: we packed an airline overhead bag with nuts, raisins, M&Ms, etc. and mixed them all in snack-sized ziploc bags that can be tucked in a pocket. We also brought 2 12-packs of 8-oz bottled water, plastic silverware, instant oatmeal and instant ramen. We used the coffee maker for hot water, and had hot breakfasts and lunches in our hotel room. And, of course, we were very careful to pick up after ourselves.

Master of NERV wrote:Here's something my clever wife came up with: we packed an airline overhead bag with nuts, raisins, M&Ms, etc. and mixed them all in snack-sized ziploc bags that can be tucked in a pocket. We also brought 2 12-packs of 8-oz bottled water, plastic silverware, instant oatmeal and instant ramen. We used the coffee maker for hot water, and had hot breakfasts and lunches in our hotel room. And, of course, we were very careful to pick up after ourselves.

Yeah I did the ramen thing in the hotel myself. I brought all my food with me (bought it cheap here at home and packed it). Before going back to the hotel, I would stop by Shaw's if I needed something a bit more substantial. Worked pretty well.

1. Don't worry about trying to maintain a full schedule. Some of the best times can be had when you and a friend are just hanging out in the hallways.

2. Figure out where your old college roommate is going to be in the Artist Alley ahead of time, so you don't spend ages searching for her.

3. Buying only the things you really, really want might mean you end up with a tiny haul, but you will end up happy and with a happy wallet.

And finally, the one I wish I hadn't had to learn...

4. Always have a fast talker in your party when trying to take the elevator back up to your hotel room. Late Friday night, the only reason me and my roommates were able to get back to our totally paid for, legal-amount-of-people-staying hotel room was because one of us just refused to let the security guard get a word in edgewise- not aggressively, just very chattily.

When checking out a manga at the library, use JUST the badge, instead of putting whole lanyard down. This quickly ran thru my head as I put it down but thought, hey, there are people sitting here overseeing this, there are other with pins/things on them- it's safe. nope. Someone lifted my badge with all it's keychains. Was able to replace badge, not the bling. Shout out to the dealer who was kind enough to replace one. And the kind and helpful manga room staff/volunteers who tried to help me find it/ get a new one.

If you are late for a Cosplay Game you're in or something of the sort, find an orange-shirted AB Security Staff Member to escort you to where you're going. If that doesn't work, contact the Coordinator for whatever you're in or another friend who's in it so they know you'll still be there, and sometimes they can get an escort.

Pack food! The food at the convention was overpriced and kind of bad. Packing snacks will save time and money.

Don't assume you can't get into a panel. I wanted to go to the Your Lie in April dub premiere but I went to a previous panel and figured the first would be packed. Wandered around for a half hour or so and happened to walk by there the premiere was and OMG there were so many empty seats!! Got some free stuff, watched the Q&A after and I'm so so happy I tried at least

next time bring extra food money so you don't have to go spending your hard earned dealears room money on Food...get from work the week before and stash it some where

don't survive on pokey even if it is considered the "convention diet"

plan around panels you've already went to, it's more then likely going to be the same as last year, and you don't need to go to the same thing as last time.

take your time, and set some time to eat and or get sometehing outside the convention center, chances are you can find a way back into the convention.

Make you sure you and your friends (weather you've met them or not in the past) have another means of communication.

stick up for yourself, if you have the disabled badge, tell someone it's ok to go through a sertin enterence with out someone present, or if you NEED someone, ask an orange staff to go with you, they were really friendly this time!


get over your stage fright and ask someone to make a panel with you next year, you won't know if you don't try!

Not exactly a lesson learned, but a tip I came up with this year: Get to a panel 30 minutes before showtime for most smaller panels for optimal seats.

For an actual lesson, don't be afraid to hang back at the end of a panel or event to talk to the presenter or guest 1 on 1 for a minute or 2. I did this a few years ago and became good friends (and part time drinking buddies) with Greg Ayers, and this year I got to gush with both Tony Oliver and Mario Bueno over various nostalgic things.

Well I have 2 things that come quickly to mind:

1) Don't forget your phone charger. Was prepared and all but by the time I got on the T, realized I had no phone charger for Friday. Lucky for me, I have a back up battery.

2) Get some sleep! Ended up going to bed around 3am to wake up around 7am. By Saturday afternoon, I was exhausted. Of course, it didn't help that I was following the Hawaii Caucus Saturday Night...

It amazes me how I always learn something new after cons, even if I've been going to them for a while now. Here are mine:

1. Have a con bag, preferably one that shows your favorite anime/games. Even if you have to buy one at the con, have a bag to use just for cons. It doesn't have to match your cosplay, necessarily either. The idea is that it can hold things like snacks, your electronics, wallet, emergency cosplay supplies, etc and be a good conversation starter. I ended up buying one in the AA since I did not have anything of the sort, and found it to be really helpful.

2. Pack substantial snacks/food in your con bag. With the lines and all, it's getting hard to leave the Hynes to get food, and you don't want to buy the overpriced con food. I brought animal crackers and cheezits, which were good, but not nutritionally dense. Next year I'll make sure to bring protein bars and trail mix. Maybe even some cut veggies and fruit.

3. Don't buy a blind box unless you are absolutely sure you'll like anything you get from it. Or at least be prepared to get your least desired result. It's easy to get carried away with the excitement of blind boxes, but it could turn from excitement to disappointment real fast. Then you'll feel like you've wasted your money, and those blind boxes don't come cheap at any con.

4. If you don't need the convenience of the Sheraton, choose another hotel. This was the first year I stayed in the Sheraton and I can tell you, the wait for the elevators was pretty bad. In addition, the elevators got really crowded and unpleasant. I would recommend looking into the Hilton or the Marriott next year. Both are very close to the con with much better elevators and service.

royalbakaness wrote:Here's a good lesson learned: A portable steamer is an amazing thing to have if you travel with your cosplays. I have major issues with irons, but I got a little steamer, and it worked wonders!

This is good advice! I'll have to look into getting a portable steamer.

Shiroikami wrote:3.) Make sure to charge your 3DS and phone every night, and to check your Street Passes often.

THIS. I didn't charge mine (I forgot to bring my charger) at all, and of course it died Sunday morning. Because of this, I missed out on tons of Street Passes. I couldn't even play some games with people since I was so worried about my battery.

Thanks for all the tips peeps, I can't wait to go to the next event.