1) Extra Battery Packs
I cannot STRESS this one enough. You will be on your phone non-stop during SDCC. Whether it’s taking pictures, stalking Twitter for the whereabouts of celebrities/giveaways/free parties to crash, posting pictures to social media for free stuff, or looking up walking directions to the theater where you just won premier tickets; you will be on your phone. Because of the sheer amount of people in a few city blocks, your phone is gonna work extra hard to bring to you all your need to knows.
So, my first Must Have is extra battery chargers for your phones. I recommend packing a charger that can charge your phone several times. This is the one I have, and it is my savior for every Comic Con I go to. It can quickly recharge my phone three times over if needed. I haven’t ever needed to charge my phone three times during one SDCC day, but there’s always that ONE friend (or husband in my case) who needs a recharge. I am the phone savior.
2) Snacks
You WILL NOT eat during SDCC. Let me repeat that. YOU. WILL. NOT. EAT. DURING. SDCC. This is a fact. Last year I literally, no exaggerating went twenty four hours with no food, one bottle of water, and three hours of sleep (well it was forty eight hours with three hours of sleep). I wasn’t even hungry or tired. That’s what SDCC does to you. This year I am bringing my a-game, or my a-snack-game. Protein bars, fruits, and granola bars. Don’t bother bringing crackers, they’ll get smashed in your book bags.
3) Sunscreen
This seems like a no brainer, right? BUT, if you’re planning on being in the convention center all day, you probably won’t be thinking about protecting your skin from the sun. But, let’s talk about the LONG walks to the trolleys or to any restaurants from the convention center. During “normal” times when SDCC isn’t going on, probably the walk from the convention center to the trolley is about….five minutes? During SDCC triple that. I cannot stress to you all the amount of people who are EVERYWHERE during SDCC. They WILL slow you down, especially those nut balls who bring small children in their strollers, or the really annoying toy collectors with bags bigger than my doberman filled with whatever treasures they probably tackled a regular nerd for. So yeah, sunscreen is a must.
4) Personal Hygiene Products
I CANNOT begin to describe to you the smells you will encounter at SDCC. Ninety-Nine percent of them are so unpleasant you’ll wish you could burn your nose hairs to get rid of any lingering smell. I was going to name this one: DEODORANT. But then realized, that doesn’t fully encompass the full regime of body cleaning that needs to happen but doesn’t. So here is a list of personal hygiene products that everybody should be REQUIRED to bring to SDCC.
- Deodorant
- Soap
- Shampoo
- Tooth Paste and Tooth Brush
- Gas-Ex (Seriously, the crop dusting at SDCC is worst than at Disney World.)
- Perfume/Cologne (This DOES NOT excuse you from showering.)
- Odor Eaters (The stench of feet whilst waiting in line for panels is killer.)
- Gum/Breath Mints
Source If you don’t use deodorant, I WILL sick Terry Crews on you. #NOJOKE
5) Comfortable Shoes
According to two different Fit Bits, the last two years I have spent at SDCC I averaged about ten to twelve miles a day, just by walking. That’s intense. I really do feel for those brave women who cos-play in heels. You all are my heroes. Make sure you pack comfortable and well broken in shoes prior to going. If you were planning on getting new tennis shoes, break them in now. Blisters are your feet’s reminders that you were an asshole and they can be assholes too.
6) Start Walking Now
Since we’re on the subject of your feet/shoes/and assholish blisters, here is another pearl of wisdom from your’s truly, start walking now. You are going to walk A LOT at SDCC. If you’re like me and get the majority of your activity from walking to the freezer for ice cream and then climb back in bed for a Netflix marathon, you better start getting ready for the miles you will be putting down. Seriously you all, ten to twelve miles a day. That’s a real number not just according to my Fit Bit, but also several friends who were there with me at the same time.
7) Comfy Clothes
I LOVE San Diego’s weather. Yes, it’s hot BUT it’s not humid which is a huge relief for someone who lives in Maryland. I’m not a girl who enjoys wearing shorts (they ALWAYS ride up, front wedgies – the most annoying wedgie), so I generally go for thin capris, skirts, and dresses.
BUT we all know what happens to…curvy girls who wear skirts and dresses in super hot weather right? That chub rub. It’s a real thing, that really happens. The inside of your thighs get so raw that you almost wants to carry an ice pack between them. I know there is a lot of products out there to protect your legs from resembling hamburger meat. But, when I’m hot and sweating, and feeling like standing over an AC grate, the last thing I want is sticky legs smeared with deodorant or diaper rash protectant. So, what do I suggest? Slip-Shorts. Yes that’s right, slip-shorts. Remember back in the day when your mom made you wear slips under your dresses and skirts. Well, I found the slip’s awesome cousin. Slip-shorts are thin, silky, BREATHABLE shorts that mold themselves to your legs and prevent you from getting third degree chub-rub burns. I get mine at Kohl’s and they saved me last year at SDCC.
8) An Extra Suitcase
You will get a TON of freebies at SDCC, some of which you will leave in your hotel room in order to get the more higher priority swag to fit. I always take an extra carry on style bag to pack my purchases and my freebies in. Books, t-shirts, those giant bags that you’ll never use again, buttons, foam sharknado chainsaws, you name it – they’re giving them out for free at SDCC.
9) One Nice Outfit
I thought long and hard about putting this one on the list. Why is that? Because most of the time when you go to a comic con you really could care less about looking fancy and/or going out at night. HOWEVER, I have to refer back to that one time that we won tickets to the world premier of this little show on Starz called Outlander and we needed to get dressed up real quick. Thankfully we had brought our ONO, or One Nice Outfit. BTW, when I say get dressed up real quick, I mean REAL QUICK. As in we just got done completing The Walking Dead Escape (Boooo!!! To it not being at SDCC this year!) and then had to get changed in the PetCo Field parking lot. We stripped out of our sweaty TWD Escape clothes, rinsed off with some wash clothes I “borrowed” from the hotel and wet with a precious bottle of water, and then shimmied into our evening clothes before marching a mile and a half to the theater. That walk is now known as the Death March. We had fifteen minutes to get changed and make it to the Outlander premier. Seems like a lot of time to walk one and half miles right? Not so when you walked ten miles that day and then basically did the equivalent of a 5k through PetCo Park (with Zombies chasing after you). But we made it, we looked fancy AF, and I stood two feet from Tobias Menzies and had no idea why my friend was sending me silent “HOLY SHIT” looks.
10) Remember That Cosplayers Are People Too
This is an EVERY CONVENTION rule. Just remember that those amazing people who spent hours/days/months making their cosplay are people. People with feelings, opinions, and lives. Always ASK if you can take a picture with them. Never ridicule their cosplay or interrogate them about it. Be nice. That’s all, be nice. Also, if you do see someone is an obscure cosplay and you know what it is, SAY SOMETHING! You’ll make someone’s day! I know I did.
HELLO!
Now That You’re Prepared Just Know
My words of wisdom to everyone going to SDCC? It’s hot. You’ve walked more in one day than you have in three months. You’re tired, you’re hungry, you’re pissed you missed out on that Marvel exclusive you really wanted. But get in that random photo op line, you never know who else is going to be in it with you.
Welcome to San Diego Comic Con. It’s amazing.
Share your tips (or ask your questions) on how you prepare for San Diego Comic-con… or any other Con!
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