I was introduced to the wonderful world of conventions back in the summer of 2010, shortly after graduating from college. My sorority sister had been involved in cons and cosplay for some time and she had shared her experiences with me. I have always been a bit of nerd, growing up on Star Wars, Farscape, Harry Potter, Sailor Moon, and Dragonball Z (just to name a few of my favorite childhood things), so attending a convention seemed like the next step in sharing my passion and meeting others with similar interests. She told me all about conventions with such passion and excitement so I decided to give it a shot. I contacted a friend who was nice enough to go with me to AnimeNEXT in Somerset, NJ (now held down in Atlantic City, NJ). We drove in each day since we only lived about forty minutes away and we had a blast so we decided to grab badges to New York Comic Con. Boy, was NYCC a completely different world than ANext.
New York Comic Con is the largest pop culture convention on the East Coast. From comics to television to games to anime, NYCC has a number of panels, showings, sneak peeks, guests, and merchandise from a variety of fandoms. Held in the beginning of October and becomign more and more popular each year, NYCC now sells out of the most popular badges (3 day, 4 day, Friday, and Saturday) within an hour or so of opening registration and encompasses the Javits Convention Center as well as having events in a number of buildings in the vicinity. You can get comics and books signed by your favorite writers and artists, meet and take picture with your favorite celebrities, pick up some sweet and exclusive merchandise, search for that back issue comic you're missing, and meet fans who share in similar interests. With all that going on, it can be a bit overwhelming for those who have never been to NYCC or another large convention.
So, here are my top five tips for preparing and surviving New York Comic Con.
Tip #1: Make a Checklist
I am notorious for overpacking, but over the years, I have started to become more conscious of making sure I have what I need and minimizing how many bags I bring with me. Hotel rooms are small and often packed to the max to minimize costs so space is limited. In order to make sure you don't overpack and that you have all your things, make a checklist of everything you bring with you. This means toothpaste, individual parts of cosplays, pairs of underwear, any electronics you bring. Basically, if you put it in your bag, write it down. When you go to pack up at the end of the convention, cross-check it with your list to make sure you haven't forgotten anything. Most phones have a list app that you can use so you don't have to worry about keeping track of a physical paper list. Trust me, when you are exhausted after a weekend at the convention, the last thing you want to worry about is if you remembered to pack up your favorite hair straightener.
Tip #2: Check Out the Schedule
New York Comic Con has a nifty little app (link here) that has the schedule, floor plan, and exclusive contests for the entire convention. As you scan through the app, you can save your favorites and add them to "My Schedule" so you can see a condensed list of what you want to do. It really helps to keep track of when and where panels are and allows you to see if any overlap. It also helps with trying to locate exactly where an artist, panel, or booth is. The only downside is that it does not have a way to include unofficial meetup times somewhere in the app so you'll have to keep track of those on your own. This year, they have a photo hunt where you take nine different photos somewhere at the convention and, if you complete all nine, you can submit it to win a prize of two 3-day badges to next year's con.
Tip #3: Bring a Water Bottle and Snacks
The number one thing that con-goers forget to do while at the convention is drink and eat. You do not want to do this. It leads to dehydration and you may black out. Been there, done that, and trust me, nothing puts a damper on your con experience than your eyesight going and almost passing out in the middle of the show floor. Best solution is to keep a bottle with you to fill up at the many water fountains throughout the convention center and a few sturdy snacks like trail mix, granola bars, or cereal. If you have forgotten your own, there is a food court at the Javits Center, but it's always insanely packed and overpriced. There is also a cafe area on the top floor and smaller food spots throughout (my one friend loves the popcorn while I will pay the excessive price for Starbucks), but again, you're going to be paying way more than if you just brought from home. You can also leave the convention area and go to the many fast food restaurants and street vendors. No matter what, I always suggest carrying a water bottle with you and eating throughout the day.
Tip #4: Keep Your ID with You
Rumor has it that they will be checking ID cards at New York Comic Con this year. I'm not sure how true this is, but it is something they do at San Diego Comic Con, so it would not surprise me if NYCC ended up going this route. Now that there is fan verification and RFID, it is completely possible that they may ask to confirm that the badge you are using is your own. When I was at San Diego Comic Con, they would do random checks where they would block off an area and have everyone show their ID with their badge. It helps to limit scalpers and ensures that whoever paid and registered the badge is using it. Some fans who have been going for a longer time, this may stink as you used to be able to get a 3-day badge and share it with a number of friends, but that's no longer the case. It is also just a good idea to carry your ID with you at all times. You never know when you're going to need it and it's just a good habit to have.
Tip #5: Budget Your Money
My first year at New York Comic I blew through an exorbitant amount of money on all of the amazing merchandise at the convention. There is so much there to buy, including some pretty awesome con exclusive items like Pop Funkos and figurines, so it is very easy to get carried away and blow through a rent's worth of money. I have found that the best way to combat this is to take out cash for the weekend and only allow myself to bring a certain amount of money to the convention each day. For example, I take out the cash I have saved for the convention and then I set aside what I owe for the room and food, splitting the rest of the money over the course of the weekend. This way, I only bring that cash with me to the convention (meaning I won't blow through it all in one day) and I ensure that I don't blow through it all on Friday morning. It's also a good tip to keep in mind that there's usually discounts at booths on Sunday as they don't want to pay the cost to ship merchandise back. This has helped me a lot over the years and I tend to spend way less money at a convention.
And there you have it, my top five tips for preparing and surviving New York Comic Con. I could probably make a list of twenty items, but I think these are the most important. If you have some tips for others, please comment below and share your expertise and advice. Hope everyone has a happy, safe, and fun New York Comic Con!!
