anotheranon | the trifecta

Current Mood: curious
Current Music: "Aftermath" Nightmares on Wax

Entry tags:

geekery,
social

the trifecta

I've often mused out loud that sometime in this lifetime I'm going to have to make it to what I consider to be the 3* geek/alternative/genre events on the calendar year: 1) DragonCon 2) ComicCon 3) Pennsic War.

All of these look interesting for various reasons (Classes! Costumes! Nerdery!) but also HUGE and intimidating to the uninitiated/introverts, which is why I've never made much effort to do anything about my curiosity.

But in the spirit of "new things are how we grow", how does one manage potential sensory overload at an event of multiple thousands of people/hotels/events? And how does one prepare (because all require costumes, and some camping equipment)?

Veterans of any of these events (particularly if social is fun but sucks the air out of you), I ask for your wisdom/advice.

*I have a passing curiosity about Burning Man but given that I've never camped before I think desert endurance camping is beyond my physical capabilities. I have no interest in heatstroke/dehydration, etc.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Talk to Semmie about Pennsic - she's going this year!!!!

Not a veteran of these particular cons but of Toronto's Ad Astra way back in the dawn of time: Stay as close to as possible to (or at) the venue ... being easily able to retreat to your room for a fifteen minute introvert break without having to waste your valuable con time in transit will be worth it. Even if you don't need that kind of depressuring, if you're doing costumes it's nice to have someplace close by to nip off to for changes/repairs; ditto for being able to drop off purchased/accumulated loot instead of having to lug it around with you all day and risk losing/misplacing something.

Oh, that is my plan even for small conventions: private space, "staging area" (for costuming), and always stay on site (for all the after hours conversation as well as quick retreats :P)

What I'm concerned about are these very BIG events. Pennsic is outdoor camping in garb for around 10,000 attendees; DragonCon is spread out over several hotels and has upwards of 50,000(!) people. In crowds in such large sites it might not be possible to dart back to the room to decompress.

Understand - I do love being social and I rather enjoy skating along the edge of my overwhelm limit, but I do need to find strategies for turning down my internal volume when I can't necessarily get alone time. Make sense?

Oh good. I've just been exposed to too many people who tried to cheap out on their accommodations for various cons and then griped about how much of their con time was spent getting back and forth.

Makes very much sense. I'm like you ... my tolerance for crowds and their noise level is limited (I've been known to leave even smallish family gatherings just to take a walk around the block and come down off the overload. And malls are a last resort for shopping ... in-and-out high-speed mission only when I absolutely have to enter one. If you're going to be there early or for pre-events, take the opportunity to tour the venue and take note of the various nooks, courtyards, public balconies, etc. that are available for ducking out to (easier to see before the crowds hit). Ask the staff, too ... there may be spots that aren't obvious. Also, if time allows, scout the streets nearby ... most other escapees are going to hit the coffee shops, etc. within a block of the place, so knowing what's two blocks away will let you arrow straight off to some peace and quiet (again, ask the staff ... they should know the good nearby spots. And if they can tell you about one that looks like a dive but is actually fabulous, that's a bonus because those not in the know will avoid it ***GRIN***)

Take advantage of your music-playing toys too ... just finding a quietish hallway or corner and using headphones and a favourite tune as white noise between you and the rest of the world for a few minutes may help (this is something I do at work when there's a little too much noise going on ... volume is set so that I can just barely hear the music, but the steady sound between me and everything else is enough of a barrier that it's refreshing. I find instrumental pieces and lyrics in languages I don't actually speak work best ... they're less distracting and let my brain work on getting refocused instead of "listening")

Your Mileage May Vary, but I find that in these types of situations (very large, very busy, massive overstimulation), this particular introvert finds it extremely helpful to have one or two close friends to "do the event" with. Because focusing on interacting with only one familiar person can dial down the external "noise" when there's no other escape. When I'm at events like this entirely on my own, I have no skin and my tolerance level gets exceeded more quickly. A companion or two gives me a buffer. (As well as helping avoid that occasional "nobody gives a fuck whether I'm here or not" feeling.)

Thanks for this tip - I can see how this would work, not only as a buffer but to actually get something out of the event. I imagine even huge events can feel very lonely if you don't know someone.

My recent experience with such events has been Star Trek conventions in Vegas and Playa Del Fuego (regional version of Burning Man). In both cases, sensory overload is abundantly possible, but the one thing I've always found that helps is to have a sort of "base" whether that be a hotel room, a tent, or just a place where there aren't a bajillion people all over the place.

If you are interested in Burning Man, I highly recommend you try Playa Del Fuego (PDF) first. It's closer, not in the middle of the desert, easier to get in and out of, and it's easy to find people you can bond with even if you don't know anyone.

Thanks for the tip! I'd heard of this but didn't know much about it.

I am curious, especially for the "temporary community" aspect, but perhaps I need practice camping in general first (I've never been camping, ever).

As a new attendee of Pennsic, I can honestly tell you that while it is 10,000 people, it is easy to not feel like it. The site is huge, and many people never leave their camps, if you can believe it. I happen to have the 'luxury' that our camp is a very short distance to where Jeanine has her shop tent, and that is in a prime location for people watching without being blocked in. We're also really close to the classroom area, so if I don't want to interact, I don't have to.

I think the key for you when planning to attend Pennsic is to make sure you're camping with a group you like (Jeanine & I would love to have you join our camp, but because of our prime location, if we get too big we might get moved :( ), and plan your classes. I really enjoy going, and I don't feel overwhelmed (I may not be a true introvert, but I'm definitely noticing the tendancy to want to hide from the world a lot more recently)

I haven't attended the other cons, but I'd say that having your own space, not shared with too many folks, is key to making it through the weekend.

Forgot to say- missing you at CostumeCon! It's in Charleston in 2015, would love to see you there! (I'm con staff, so I'll be there)

! I miss y'all too! In the past ~5 years competitive fencing has rather eaten my life, taking up not only weekends/resources but also valuable sewing time, so I don't actually have as much gear as I'd like :/

But Charleston? That's not far. And I hear it's in Toronto next year, and I wouldn't mind an excuse to go there again...

Right now I am planning on being in Toronto, and have plan to compete at least three items... Eep! Jeanine will be there, competing as well.

Denver was nice, but as I had so much on my plate last year with Phoenix, it was weird to not really have much to do. Taking a 3-y/o maybe wasn't the brightest idea, but a little late now. :)

Thank you for the invite! I might genuinely take you up on it one day. If so, I'd be willing to help out at the campsite in whatever way I can.

I'm finding a repeated theme - have private space, and people you like :)

I have been to both Pennsic & DC, and I don't know which ComicCon you are referring to.

The first thing you must do is make sure (as

hockeycat says above) that you have a haven. Your camp/hotel room is vitally important, you must have a place to go hide. I am a screaming extrovert, but come Saturday afternoon at D*C, it's time for some quiet in the hotel room for a few hours, even for me.

Second, yes, everything is more fun with friends. Someone you can meal with, to shop with, to watch (fill in event). Even if it's "hey, I'm gonna do this, meet you back here at 6pm for dinner?" makes a difference.

Don't overplan. When you have a rigid schedule, and get distracted, you start stressing yourself out because you can't get through a crowd of people to be on time for a class, or you get angry at yourself because you were so busy watching X that you forgot about Y. Be gentle with yourself, after all you are on vacation, right?

Bring all your meds. Bring water. Bring comfy shoes, and another pair of comfy shoes just in case. Bring your charger. Bring extra socks.

If you plan to drink at cons, there are simple ways to get around paying the outrageous bar charges. If you plan to drink at Pennsic, bring your goblet ;)

At Pennsic, you can sit on your tush in camp and do nothing. You can watch the battlefield all day, and be left alone while you do it.

At cons, you can park yourself in a corner and just people watch the entire time. Seriously. Wedge yourself in there, sit back, and watch ConTV. Crowds are, frankly, a big problem at DC, but you can always find a corner. A room on the lower floors means that you can run up the stairs to your haven, instead of waiting for an elevator (never fun), which will also be helpful - not only are you avoiding crowds at the elevator banks, and avoiding frustration as full elevators pass you by, fewer people use the stairs AND you are burning off energy as you head up there.

Also at D*C, there is DCTV in the host hotels, which allow you to view some of the larger events without dealing with other people - the masquerade, megapanels (like William Shatner, for example), the parade (but you should really come watch that in person!), and other large events.

Anyway, there are a bunch of specific hacks for each event you are considering, and they would take up too much room here. Hit me up if you want more specific info.

TL;DR - GO WITH A FRIEND, HAVE A HAPPY PLACE TO PUT YOUR HEAD.

Thank you for this!

The overplanning being a problem isn't something I considered, but now that you mention it, it seems so obvious not to stress oneself out by trying to adhere to an impossible schedule. Go with the flow, I guess?

And I had no idea about DragonCon TV! That WOULD be useful if I wanted to see a bigger panel without braving the crowds.

I may well corner you at DressU for a chat about these if you have time!

I demand some facetime with you at DressU :) Hunt me down and re-introduce yourself, I am so crap at faces I won't remember what you look like (no offense)

I'm crap at names, so this works perfectly! Looking forward to chatting with you :)

Re: absinthe party -thank you for the invite! Should I bring anything/ is there a costume theme (this being a costume con)?

If you could bring a bottle of sparkling wine or champagne (we have absinthe and St Germain), that would be fabulous.

There is no theme for the absinthe party, just wear something lovely :D

Also - absinthe party, my room, 9pm-11pm Friday night.

Pennsic! I can't give you advice as to what it's like, as I'm attending for the first time this year. I did see the site last weekend for "War Practice". One of your friends above is right -- it's not like a convention, it's more like camping as the sites are spread out a lot. I, too, was going to be concerned with the mental distance, but I was offered my own tent, bed, etc, and so I said yes, so it will be like having a little apartment I can retreat to. I have promised myself that, if it gets too much for me (heat, people, mosquitoes, etc) then I can pack up and drive home.

I'll be watching your LJ for a full rundown of your experience!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

the trifecta

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject