Ah, the convention life. It’s a tough one, but someone has got to live it, amiright?
All silliness aside, I love me a good geeky convention. Thankfully, Miami is stepping up to the plate and hosting quite a few in the months to come, but I still find myself eager to travel to check out what the rest of the country has to offer. I’ll be visiting the West Coast starting tomorrow, so if there are any great events I should hit up in LA or San Francisco, definitely let me know!
My next convention will be NYCC, and I absolutely can’t wait to spend it with friends old and new, while checking out what are sure to be some amazing goodies. Since I frequent these events quite a bit, I thought I would compile my top 5 “must haves” while attending a convention;
1. A Mophie iPhone Case; this has been such an incredible life saver for me. The Mophie case will make your phone a little bulkier, but it will guarantee almost an entire day of battery life. It has a built-in charger that you set to do its business once your battery life has been drained and voila! You are back at 80% in no time! They also have some models that will restore you to 100%, but honestly, I haven’t had any problems once I am back at 80. Struggling to find an available power source to charge your phone is absolutely no fun during a convention, not to mention a terrible waste of time, so this is definitely my number one recommendation!
2. Looq S Selfie Stick; I have to give all the credit for this find to my sister. We are both pretty big photography nerds and are constantly taking pictures. I’m really into iPhoneography, and love me some Instagram. However, I have a hard time trusting others to take pictures for me so that I am actually in them. This, of course, results in some selfie action, which never really does the job. With this selfie stick, you can lock your phone into an adjustable arm that has a mirror so that you can take the most perfect selfie while actually including whichever background you’d like to capture (i.e., convention floor, celebrity panel guests, or your gigantic cosplay group). I’m anxiously waiting for mine to arrive!
3. Really, really big bag/purse/tote; this is so imperative, ladies (& gents). You will get so much free swag while attending a convention, that you will not know what to do with it. A small purse will just not do. That’s without even calculating all the merch you will buy (think: posters). I always tote around an enormous bag, so this comes naturally to me, but for those of you that like to travel light…think twice.
4. Fandom-centric manicure; OK, so this may not be an essential per se, but for a girly girl like me, it most definitely is. My nails look so sad when they aren’t painted, and for special events like a con, I always make sure they look their best. Just recently I met Gena, from I Heart Nail Art, and she has pulled through with the most amazing designs for me (sometimes, even at odd hours at the last minute – total savior)! I especially loved my Sherlock nails for San Diego Comic Con (pictured above), but you can go fast and easy with these decals from Fandom Cosmetics. They can prove to be a pretty sure fire conversation starter!
5. Cash; I know, who carries cash anymore? At least, I know I don’t, but I try my best to have some in my wallet when I attend a convention. Although Square is taking over most booths, you never know when you will stumble on one that only takes cash and is carrying something you absolutely must have (oh, and it’s the only one left). Sure, you can begin the hunt for a nearby ATM, but who wants to do that when your prized possession can be yours in a nanosecond? Carrying cash can also help you budget if you do not want to blow your entire last paycheck on goodies – you know, in case you have a shopping problem. If that’s your kind of thing.