EXPERIENCING A CON FOR THE FIRST TIME!

For my very first con experience, Wizard World Comic Con was a great choice. It was a smaller convention and in a nearby city so I didn’t have to spend a lot of money or travel very far. This helped me ease into the unknown world of conventions. I didn’t know this would be just the beginning because now I admit I’m a bit addicted to con life! For example, I opened up a savings account specifically for the purpose of traveling and attending cons near and far. And when I say “far,” I mean it. I just purchased con passes to Unity Days 2018 in January in Vancouver(I live in California.), and I am over the moon about it because it’s for my favorite show, the 100.

But back to Wizard World, it was at the Sacramento Convention Center. I’ve never been there but before this convention, but it was very roomy, comfortable and even provided a Starbucks inside the venue for coffee fiends like me! It was easy to navigate and find the ballrooms and panel rooms that my group needed. Just to make sure I found parking, I used Spot Hero to find a parking spot about a month before the con and was able to find a great spot close to the venue for an awesome price.

I wanted to go to the convention to experience my first con with a group of awesome friends. But, I found out that two of my favorite actors Bob Morley and Eliza Taylor from the 100 were making appearances, so that sealed the deal for me! This was a perfect way to get selfies and autographs with them! Bob ended up canceling right before due to illness, and I was admittedly pretty bummed out. However, the experience of meeting Eliza Taylor and getting a selfie with her was pretty cool. She was so sweet and nice to her fans and that is something that is always nice to see. I definitely treasure our selfie that I took and plan to get it printed. Walking around we witnessed a lot of interactions between actors and their fans and it was nice to see so many hugs and smiles.

I went to three panels with my group, one was for Michael Rooker from Guardians of the Galaxy. He was was hilarious, the guy knows how to work a crowd. The second was the Buffy the Vampire Slayer panel featuring Charisma Carpenter, Nicholas Brendon, James Marsters, and Emma Caulfield. I grew up watching Buffy and idolizing her, so getting to sit in on a panel with the actors and hear behind the scenes anecdotes and listen to their responses to the many fan questions was a very cool experience.

The third panel I went to was for No Ordinary Nerd, which as you know, focuses on the use of nerd culture to deal with mental illness. This hits pretty close to home for me. Their panel was heartfelt, real, and they got so many positive amazing responses from attendees. It warmed my heart.

I also had fun just walking around the different booths and seeing all of the cosplay. You don’t need to bring a lot of money to a con, but I recommend bringing some to buy stuff from vendors and artists. I found things that artists created that I had never seen before and had a hard time choosing what to buy! Also, you will get hungry walking through the con, so bring some extra snacks and bottled water to save some money. I will definitely be better prepared for my next con adventure for sure.

All in all, Wizard World holds a special place in my heart for being my first con and helping me to realize how much fun these conventions really are. I bought a lanyard as a souvenir and it hangs in my car as a daily reminder of the awesome time I had, it always makes me smile.