13 replies to this topic

[Nikiforov]

This is a weird question but I see some of yall have cosplay avatars so maybe someone will have some advice and I'm going to ask anyway

 

I've never been to a convention before, mostly I've never had friends that were into that sort of thing and to be completely honest I keep most "fandom" things secret from the people I do know in real life because I get a little embarrassed. My friends and family are not into it at all and would find it childish or strange. But now that I'm older I care less about that kind of stuff, and I just bought tickets to a convention I've wanted to go to for a very long time but never had the guts or the money before. I watch online videos of the panels from this specific convention and have been doing so for years (since it was the closest thing I could experience to attending), so I have a pretty decent idea of how panels work but other than that I am completely clueless! Is going on my own for the very first time a horrible idea? I'm sure I'd be able to look up the purely technical stuff like what I need to do to make sure I see the panels I want to, how to get from A to B, staying arrangements, how to make sure I see everything I want to see, etc. But the atmosphere itself is a total mystery to me.

 

For those of you that have gone to or regularly attend conventions, is it completely bizarre for people to go alone? Would I look like a creep if I just maybe brought a book or something and read between panels while waiting in line? It's the only thing that makes me nervous, I really want to do this and I'm dead excited to go but I'm just afraid that it will be awkward or uncomfortable being alone. Or is that not as uncommon as I'm imagining? Has anyone else ever attended any sort of convention by yourself, did you still have fun? Just any advice at all would be nice.

 

I know there's tons of videos and blogs online about "what to do at your first convention!" and things like that, but they mostly seem centered around how to interact with celebrities, or what photo ops will be like, or what [insert extra event here] consists of, and I don't really plan on doing any of that because I'm way too shy. It will be enough just to sit (preferably veeeeery far in the back) quietly at the panels and simply attend them. But I don't really know what is normal to do in-between or what to expect!

Edited by Kyuubey, 10 March 2016 - 01:24 PM.

[Coops]

Don't be afraid to go! 

You're a human person. You bought tickets. You have as much right to attend as anyone else. Maybe you can make new friends there. Bring a book, but be open to converse with people and share interests, and have fun. There is no shame in flying solo. I go to movies alone, restaurants alone, and whatnot.

[NapisaurusRex]

Who cares if you look creepy? As for the book thing, loads of people have their nose stuck in a phone while they're waiting anyway, so what's the difference?

 

I prefer to go most places alone, but I'm one of those people who would have fun in a cardboard box so

[KaibaSama]

It's not bizarre for people to go alone, don't worry! I've seen it at my local convention, and everyone has a good time, whether they're with someone or not! I haven't gone alone myself really, but I've seen people do it and they're very happy at the convention! At my first convention, I went as Hinata from Naruto (before the time skip). It was with a friend, but either way it still would have been fun! The first time I went, I didn't attend any panels, I just walked around looked at people's outfits, bought items, looked at art, got into a bohemian rhapsody sing along in the dealers room with everyone else in the room, and talked with people. It's fine to just sit in the back of panels if you're shy. There really isn't a set way to act or a set way of things you should do at your first convention. Do what you're comfortable with and do what you feel will be fun. 

[Coops]

Who cares if you look creepy? As for the book thing, loads of people have their nose stuck in a phone while they're waiting anyway, so what's the difference?

 

I prefer to go most places alone, but I'm one of those people who would have fun in a cardboard box so

I can't tell if you're a human or a cat...

[Elindoril]

I doubt people will pay attention to you long enough to even think you're there alone. Hell I don't think anyone would even care.

Engage with people and make some friends. I've being awing people with my apparent Project Diva skills for the last four years at a local convention and made friends that way.

[Turnip]

There's nothing wrong with going to a con by yourself!! No one is gonna find it creepy ^^ When I went to my first con I went by myself I didn't really know what to do, but I still had a great time anyway!! Mind if I ask which one you're going to? If it's a bigger one and you haven't booked your hotel room yet, you should probably do it as soon as possible since the rooms closer to the con/cheaper places fly off the shelves. The con me and @Elindoril go to is happening in August but the 4-bedroom rooms at the hotel right next to the place are already sold out!! And it isn't even as big as Otakon or Anime Expo  But nothing is going to be ruined if your hotel is a little further away

 

Figuring out what panels you want to go to is easy. The con's site usually has a list of panels and other events way in advance along, with a map and the locations and stuff. But if you miss that they usually give you a little booklet and other important things when you pick up your badge. Even if there are long waits in between panels you wanna go to there's loads to do!! It's so easy to spend a load of time in the artists' alley and dealer's room (the area where stores sell a BUNCH of anime/other nerdy goods) hahah. But there are those, going around looking at everyone's cosplay (make sure you ask first before taking a photo!! This is important), there are usually gaming rooms where you can go and play some of them VIDEO GAMES, and then they have rooms where they play anime or films all day long so you can just waste time in those. Also just so you know!! In panels, if you need to leave early to go to a different panel or something, no one minds if you just get up and leave. The people running the panel won't think you're rude for leaving :3

 

Just remember to bring water and some snacks along!! Its so easy to get dehydrated (especially if the con you're going to is held during the summer), and you're gonna be using up energy walking around the con so you're bound to get hungry. Granola bars are easy to carry around! Hotels almost always have fridges and microwaves and stuff so you don't have to worry about surviving off expensive fast food the whole time you're there either ^^

 

Are you going to be cosplaying at all? Because if you are and there are forums/something for the con you're going to, there might just be a cosplay group for the show you're cosplaying from. I made some friends some turned out to be pieces of drama-loving garbage BUT moving on that way back in the day, it was a bunch of fun hanging out with them!! :3

[Romy]

@Chappy and I could go to one if you're in the Los Angeles area.

 

We've been dying to go. 

[Elindoril]

@Chappy and I could go to one if you're in the Los Angeles area.

We've been dying to go.

Dude. Go to this.

[NapisaurusRex]

I can't tell if you're a human or a cat...

[blue]

Who cares if you look creepy? As for the book thing, loads of people have their nose stuck in a phone while they're waiting anyway, so what's the difference?
 
I prefer to go most places alone, but I'm one of those people who would have fun in a cardboard box so

More like Danbo


Far as going alone , just do it! I did, they're fun and it's a great oppurtunity to people watch or just get to interact with people with similar interests as you.

[Romy]

Dude. Go to this.

ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

[Elindoril]

ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

You have a chance to witness a turning point in Japanese pop culture and that's all you have to say?

[Cheyenne]

I too have pretty bad social anxiety and going to cons in the very beginning was crazy scary for me. But after a few years, I've gotten to just not caring about social insecurities and I do what I want to do and go where I want to go at cons. In the beginning, I went to cons primarily for the cosplay and photo opportunities. Now, it's mostly Smash 4 tournaments.

 

But seriously, don't be afraid of standing out and looking like a freak if you're going alone... Nobody else will know that except you. There are LOADS of other true "creeps" out there at the con scene, so just sitting down and reading a book between panels is COMPLETELY normal. But that also brings up the fact that you're alone, so you should probably bring some form of protection like mace or something. It's not totally uncommon for, say, a creepy guy to try to pick up a cute cosplay girl.

 

Bottom line, don't be afraid since there's just SO many people at cons and nobody really picks up on the things you're insecure about. Just bring a bag full of essentials - snacks, wallet, phone, medication/pain relievers, mace, tampons, etc. - and get ready to have an experience of a lifetime.