Let’s be honest, prepping for a con can be a lot of work, especially if it’s your first one. But you still have to eat! So, let me take some of that hard work out for you! I have compiled an amazing list of food and beverages based on your hotel situation. Plus this rundown contains tips for eating and keeping hydrated while you browse the dealers hall or sit in on your favorite panels. Screenshot these on your phone, or even better, print this article out and use it as your next shopping list. I tried to keep it easy and healthy!
It’s been awhile since you’ve seen a 5FF post! Needing to get over some writer’s block had me revisiting the original 5 Fandom Friday girls: The Nerdy Girlie & Super Space Chick. See this post for a list of the prompts! If you’re already participating in 5 Fandom Friday, you may have noticed a few of us have made some DLC’s to complement the already lengthy blog prompt list. You can check out my first DLC for 5 Fandom Friday: the GG Pack (the Geeky Gal Pack)!
I had a hard time trying to narrow this down to just 5 things. From my birthday present this year being Hermione’s wand (which lights up with a flick of your wrist) (also, thanks Mom!) to planning a trip to Japan on Pinterest, there’s just too many every day geeky things that I do to have such a small list! I’ll give it my best shot; here’s my top 5 geeky things I have ever done.
Write Fanfiction
I’m sure everyone has written fanfiction at some point… No? Just me? Damn. I had an account when I was about 12 or 13 that was just terrible. Not the account itself but my writing was horrendous. I ended up creating a new account on Fanfiction.net. I wrote Over Oceans which was inspired by my long distance relationship and my love for MMORPGs (imagine my frustration when I received a review that alluded I had never played a video game). My readers are still asking for new chapters 4 years later and, while I feel terrible for having an unfinished story, my heart is no longer in it, and my writing style has changed.
Maybe one day I’ll return to Over Oceans and give it the ending it deserves.
Attend a Convention
Photo by Megan Price – AWA 2015
I’ve been to three anime conventions so far. My very first one was KamiCon 2013 in Birmingham. I went with one of my best friends and Alec, and we had a blast! We swore we’d cosplay the next go around. An opportunity fell in my lap to go again: MomoCon 2013 in Atlanta with Alec and my brother. Two cons in one year was more than my otaku heart could take. It was 2015 before I would go again. This time, my cosplay dreams came true.
Cosplay
Photos by Alec Magee – AWA 2015
It was my dream to cosplay Asuna from SAO and I finally got the chance! I did tons of research and even made a few blog posts on cosplay and conventions: attending your first convention, your first cosplay, and how to buy your cosplay online. It was a magical moment to have people ask for my picture and to be on Crunchy Roll for a few minutes (and to see the users light up the screen screaming my character’s name and telling me that I was cute was a confidence booster). I can’t wait to do it again!
Participating in a Kingdom Hearts Panel
Photo by Alec Magee – AWA 2015
So not only did Alec and I have to wait to see if we’d even be let into this panel for over 30 minutes (even foregoing another event), but once we got in, the panel was a bit of a let down. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve attended several panels, and they’ve always been interesting. We just thought this KH panel would be… more. We barely got to talk, and most of the discussion was centered around “what if’s” for 2.8 and III. Regardless though, we still had fun chatting with other fans, and it was a one of the geekiest things I had ever done.
Buy Anime Figurines
Alec inadvertently started this. For my birthday about 4 years ago, he bought me a wonderful chibi Asuna from SAO. She was adorable and came with a million parts. I loved it! And I just wanted more. I’ve only bought one other figurine since then but Alec has collected a few as well. I can’t to have the space to properly display them and expand our collections.
Bonus: This blog
Yes, this blog counts too! My very first blog was personal and very introspective. A Geeky Gal has become my special place on the internet since then and has become my favorite place to talk about all the things I love. My niche. My favorites. Everything.
What are the geekiest things you’ve ever done? Tell me in the comments!
Anime Weekend Atlanta 2015 (AWA) was an absolute blast this year and probably one of the best conventions I’ve gone to. It’s in Atlanta, Georgia and spans over 4 days – Thursday through Sunday usually in mid-September. If you’re in this neck of the woods, I highly recommend going! It’s freaking huge compared to Kami-Con (Birmingham, AL) and Momo-Con (Atlanta, GA). There’s a ton of panels, popular cosplayers, and so much more at AWA.
This convention was different for me in many ways compared to Kami-Con and Momo-Con. The biggest way was that I was going to cosplay one of my favorite characters for the first time ever. I was excited and nervous about the whole thing, but I was ready. My boyfriend and I had been preparing the week before by getting our wigs in order (brushing, de-tangling, and styling) when I realized how much fun I was having. I didn’t need to be scared anymore about what people would think, because this new hobby was incredibly fun and relaxing.
My wonderful boyfriend and I will be attending Anime Weekend Atlanta 2015 in September. This isn’t our first convention (it’s actually my third together with him), but it is the first one we’ll be cosplaying at! Needless to say, we are both excited and have been planning like crazy. The purpose of this post is to pass on our wisdom and tips to make the most of your experience at your first convention, whether you cosplay or not.