Fandom Fashionista

The HP convention season is upon us. In what should be one of the final double-con years, this year promises to be a battle of two coasts. 2007 stuck to the east and 2008 stuck to the middle, but don’t be surprised if this year’s coast-to-coast con season means different crowds and a different feel.

LeakyCon 2009, the inaugural symposium produced by The Leaky Cauldron, will be my fourth convention. Since many have already expressed to me that this will be your first con, I’d like to impart a bit of wisdom. As long as you take these three instructions with you, your first convention will be one of the most memorable weekends (or weeks, depending on length of stay) of your life.

Before I begin, please understand that there are many ways to enjoy cons. Some stick to formal and informal programming. Some find fun outside of the schedule. Others enjoy themselves a little too much and find themselves falling asleep in the middle of a party (oh yeah, that was me). Whatever you do, heed these words and remember that cons are what you make of them.

1. Don’t plan too much or have high expectations.

There probably won’t be a “514″ at your first con. Matt probably won’t smash his guitar. You probably won’t eat the most delicious pizza of your life or have a fire-alarm dance party. You can’t plan to attend all the programming you’re interested in or spend time with every single person you want to see. Thinking and doing all of these things is the easiest way to ruin your whole experience. Things that have already happened are often hoped for and when they don’t occur people lose hope or just get dissapointed. I’m going to let you in on a little secret: we don’t know what’s going to happen and that’s what makes it memorable. We don’t know all the mishaps and shockers and wowzers that are going to occur, so we go and experience things we never thought we would. Don’t arrive with a head filled full of plans; be ready to plan your next HP adventure as you leave.

2. Leave the drama at home.

Your boyfriend just broke up with you. Your cat has feline AIDS. You’re worried your bestie is going to spend all her time with some podcaster/wrocker/whoever. Listen, no one wants to hear you complain at a Harry Potter convention. For many, this is the one place where they expect to have an amazing few days. A lot of people are in the same boat as you. They’re getting away from a lot of crap that has happened to them in the past few days or months. Do us all a favor and leave all of that negative energy behind. Not to sound like a hippie, but you’ll feel better, we’ll feel better, and to top it off, it’ll allow you to experience everything there is without reservation. Don’t sweat the small stuff, because outside the convention, it is all small stuff.

3. Have the time of your life. Make it memorable.

If there’s something you’ve always wanted to do that the con is offering or is local to that city, do it. I mean, if you’re younger, make sure you aren’t going to be kicked out of your house or anything, but then go and do it. This is your chance to live your life to the fullest. In this atmosphere and this community, I think it’s safe to say that you can feel more comfortable and safe and welcome than you do in others. That’s not to say you should completely throw caution to the wind or let your guard down, definitely not; but it’s okay to try new things and have fresh experiences. Live a little. This is the time to celebrate who you are with your closest friends.

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I hope you’ll take this simple advice to heart and make your first con the best time ever. Life is what you make of it. Remember to dress for success (I’ll be watching!), dance til you drop, and NO SLEEP TIL BREAKFAST.

See you in Boston!