Tag Archives: con

Con survival guide: how to battle cosplayer exhaustion

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Nearly all cosplayers have experienced con exhaustion at one point or another. If you’re always wondering WHY you’re so tired, or WHY you decided to wear that crazy death-trap costume, I have a few tips that will help your experience go a lot smoother.

 

NOTE: a small bag will help you carry stuff. If you can’t carry a bag, tuck some cash somewhere in your costume.

  1. Bring food (preferably protein to help hold you over)
    • Granola bars, nuts, and jerky are very mobile
    • OR bring cash with you and know where the vending machines are if you are crashing hard and need food NOW
  2. Bring a small water bottle
    • Fill it up near fountains
    • Or just hit the water fountains hard and frequently
  3. SIT DOWN whenever you can
    • “OH LOOK! SOME STAIRS! *flop*”
  4. Pack headache/body ache medicine.
    • If you don’t have a bag, buy the single use packets at a local drugstore and tuck it in your costume
  5. Eat breakfast
    • I don’t care how eager you are to head to the con. Start your day off with food in your stomach and drink as much water as you can comfortably tolerate.
  6. Pre-game*
    • Start eating healthy/sleeping 7-8 hrs the week before. You will be able to “go hard” longer.
    • *I realize that many cosplayers are spending the last couple of free nights making costumes. See my guide on: How to make your costumes ON TIME for the con
  7. Bonus: SLEEP!
    • I know it’s unrealistic to ask cosplayers to get a good night’s rest at the con, but you really will enjoy your day time more
    • #SayNoToConZombies

How to make your costume ON TIME for the convention (Part 2 of 2)

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This is part two on how you can get your costume done on time for the con. Take a deep breath. This might hurt a little bit (but it’s totally worth it).

  1. Set an absolute deadline at least TWO WEEKS before the date you want to wear your costume. Don’t break this. Ever.
    1. Drop everything you’re doing right now and make a pact with yourself that the 2-week deadline is a sacred step in your cosplay construction that shall never be broken.
    2. Promising yourself is easy, and we break stuff like this all the time. Make incentives for completing on time!
      1. On-time example: If I finish on time, I get to chow down on that ice cream I’ve been eyeballing (#noregrets)
      2. Early finish example: Wow! Finished 1 week early! I’m going to go to that dance club I’ve been interested in but too shy to go to, since I have so much time now. Or learn how to do the waltz so I can look legit in my princess dress (or whatever suits your fancy)
  • Late finish example: Well, it l ooks like I won’t be spending the extra $$ to visit my favorite actor/actress at the con. (Seriously, make this pact violation painful to break)
    1. Late finish discipline could also be doled out on a “every day I’m late” basis. I.E. “Every day I’m late, that’s one less con party I’m going to attend”

How to make your costume ON TIME for the convention (Part 1 of 2)

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Let’s face it. Most artistic-type people aren’t usually the most organized… which means there is a lot of room for error; especially when it comes to estimating how long it will take to finish a project. When I made my Princess Bubblegum costume I thought “Oh hey this is easy. I can probably do this on two days.” WRONG! I was so very very wrong!

All around the world cosplayers cry out in frustration, their costumes barely completed in time for the convention. This is a sad reality that you can help to fix! Here’s how:

  1. Make a timeline
    1. What do you want done at different points in your construction? How far along do you want to be after a week of initiating your project? After a month? It’ll only take a few minutes to sit down and write down your plan, but it can save you hours of heartache near the end of your project
  2. Buy extra supplies.
    1. Because running to the store for more fabric or ordering more of your special worbla takes TIME. Your time is precious.

The third tip is quite a doozy, so it gets its own blog post! Look for the second installment later this week. 🙂