Dateline: 06-28-2009

First Time Campers - Here's Some Help!

What to Pack!

Clothes

Underwear for every day +2 extras
Socks for every day +1 extra
Something cute to wear to parties
A sweater or hoodie for when it gets cool
Layers - sometimes it’s hot, sometimes it’s cold
Comfy shoes and more than one pair
Swimsuit
An extra set of clothes just in case

Food & Beverage

Fresh fruits
Snackages
A water bottle that can either go in a purse or clip to a belt
Non-caffinated drink of some sort
Sandwich fixings in a cooler
Granola bars or other quick high-energy snack

Toiletries & Medications

Tums
Deodorant
Ear plugs
Vitamins
Tylenol or your favorite pain med.
If you are sharing your room with more than one other person, you should bring shampoo, soap, and towels for yourself

Technology & Media

Spare batteries
Cellphone power cord
Camera
Books for the book exchange
Small notebook and pen
A day calendar
Memorabilia. We have guests of honor, and most of them are more than happy to autograph relevant memorabilia. In a very few cases guests earn a living with their autographs, so it makes sense to plan accordingly.

Being Polite

Singles to tip room parties. (or fives!)
Money to tip the bellman and the housekeeping staff.
Envelopes for housekeeping tip (plan on tipping a couple of dollars a day per person staying in the room)

Other Useful Stuff:

Not staying at the hotel: have at least one change of clothes out in the car
A book bag or canvas shopping bag
A cup or mug. Consuite does provide cups, but they are small and not eco friendly.
A favorite game to play.

Things You Should Know

The more you give to it, the more you get out of it
What happens at Convergence stays at Convergence
This is an entirely volunteer organization. No one who runs the convention gets paid a dime, and the only people making money are the vendors. Please respect what that means, respect them, and pitch in.
During peak elevator use times (6-11pm evenings), get off the elevator on the second floor, get on the elevator on the 1st floor.
Do not hassle the Badger, the Elevator Operator, or the Gopher.
New Sheraton Food Bar! Look for it! (You’ll need money for it)

Things to Do

Do a shift of badging, it's easy, it's fun, it's relaxing, and it's not that much time to give at all.
Try to hit every party.
Check out the Lit Lounge and gaming area up on 22, but plan to do so early in the weekend, as it can be very hard to get up there Friday and Saturday nights.
Tell your friends. We have people on Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, LiveJournal, Flickr and several other social networking sites. You can find us on Twitter, and a few other microblogs as well.
Fill out a survey
Attend CONvergence 101 panel
Volunteer - it's a great way to get to know the convention and the people involved.
Be Selective - don't try to do it all, pick things that really interest you and go to those.
Ask Questions - learn and participate.
Take Ownership - do things like picking up trash laying around, treat the hotel and staff as if home and family. They work very hard to make us feel at home.
Don't be afraid to admit you're new; most people will be helpful!
Tip for drinks served at room parties
Visit Consuite for munchies and soda - your registration paid for it, use it!
Participate in panels, but be polite: listen to others and don't interrupt.
Have fun and join Misfits so you can have fun like this all year 'round.
Signup for an elevator operator or badging shift in advance!

Tips & Advice

Eat at least one good meal a day, especially if you're going to be drinking.
Eat good food.
Limit caffeine intake to something...reasonable (10 cups a day?).
Carry non caffeinated fluids with you, water or juice or a sports drink.
Brush your teeth. Twice a day. Connie says so!
Shower. Daily.
Wear fresh clothes.
Wear comfy shoes!
Sleep at least 3-4 hours a night
NEVER buy anything until you've seen the whole dealer's room at least once.
If you want to take someone's picture, it is very nice to ask first.
The ATM onsite empties quickly and often has a line. Plan ahead.
Be aware of the inconvenience of large costume pieces in negotiating crowded hallways and parties. Perhaps the fairy wings should stay in the room for the evening?
Unless you absolutely cannot walk or stand, do not take an elevator from the first to the second floor or vice versa. There's an escalator right there! The majority of elevator issues are caused by overuse of one-floor rides.
if hotel staff helps you with moving into your room, plan on tipping a dollar a bag, or so. That's how they earn a living, and they do a great job, including knowing how to handle a lot of what you might think of as strange baggage
The con is an all ages event. That being said some people are more wild that others, use common sense when bringing children and if you are new to cons bring an open mind.
The con will really not be any more entertaining for you if you are falling down drunk, and will be a great deal less fun for others. Don't be that guy.
If you do not have a room at the hotel, do not plan on staying over night. The hotel is going to be full, and it's going to be tough finding a place to get some sleep. Sleeping under tables, in chairs, and rooms not designated for sleeping is not allowed. Plan on going home, and on how you are going to get there. Designate a driver if you are coming for the parties.
Plan on at least a day of recovery time after the convention. Most of the people who you will find running this thing schedule Monday and often Tuesday as vacation time. Most of us are working on cleaning up after the convention on Monday, and we would love for you to stop by and help us with that if you are in the area.