Ten Things to Bring to San Diego Comic Con!

San Diego Comic Con is literally just around the corner! I’ll be there on Thursday and Friday, and I’m getting super excited.

Last year was my first time at SDCC, and so I thought I’d share some tips, particularly about things to bring, with those of you who are going for the first time this year or who just want to plan ahead for future geekery. ;)

1. Food & Drinks
This would seem like the most obvious thing, but Thursday of last year, we didn’t think to pack a lunch and ended up having to shell out way too much money for a crappy slice of pizza. Pack sandwiches for lunch, snacks for whenever you’re taking a break, and drinks so you don’t have to pay $3 for a damn bottle of water.

2. A Backpack
This probably seems like another Duh entry, because you’re probably going to end up with fifteen enormous promo bags throughout the day. Well, if you’re like me (i.e. short), those bags literally hit the ground when they’re slung over your shoulder. I ended up folding them up and stuffing them, along with all of my other swag, into a handy dandy backpack. It’s also good for toting around the aforementioned food, heh.

3. Your Camera
Okay, the last Duh entry on this list is your camera. I mainly include this because I am absentminded and would probably forget mine if I didn’t put it on my own list o’ crap to pack. You will run into fifty kajillion awesome things at SDCC, and you will want to be able to prove to your friends that you saw Mark Hamill coming out of the men’s room. Oh, and keep your camera out at all times, because mine was in my bag and I didn’t get a damn picture of Mark Hamill coming out of the men’s room (well, that and it felt kind of rude to ambush the dude after he just took a pee).

4. Sunscreen & Seating
Most of the con is indoors, yes, but if you don’t pick up your pass Wednesday night, you might end up standing in the mile-long line outdoors. If you’re a pasty geek like me, you’re gonna need the sunscreen. Trust me.

I’m probably going to bring along my floppy hat, too, because I got enough sun for the year while I was in Hawaii. And even if it looks cloudy/foggy, you can still get a sunburn, so slather on the SFP 50, fellow geeks. That line is long! We were in it for about two and a half hours last year. Lucky for me, the Fanfiancé’s parents (who helpfully live in North County) have little portable Ikea stools. They fit right into the backpack, and it’s nice to not have to park your butt on the pavement or the floor inside the convention center.

5. Art Carrying Case
If you’re planning on buying stuff like this from the fantastic people in Artist’s Alley:

you’re going to need one of these:

It’s kind of awkward to carry around, but trust me, a little awkwardness is better than bending your precious purchases. Amazon’s got a decent price for one, but if you’re in a hurry, check your local hobby or art supply store. You can also get cardboard poster tubes if you aren’t planning on buying anything that’s already matted.

6. Your Smartphone
If you don’t have an iPhone, feel free to ignore this entry. SDCC has an iPhone app available; at the moment it’s kind of sucky, but it will theoretically have the schedule of panels so you can use to map out your plan of attack. Your phone can also be your go-to device for tweeting or facebooking every nerdy squee of joy you experience during the day. Remember your charging cable, though!

7. Entertainment
There’s a lot of stuff to see at SDCC, but if you want to get into the more popular panels, be prepared to wait in line. If you’re like me and have the attention span of a gnat, you’re going to need something to entertain yourself with whilst sitting in those lines. I’m planning on lugging my iPad along, as there should be free wifi at the convention center, but I’m also bringing a book (like I said, attention span of a gnat). Be sure to bring power cables and chargers for whatever devices you bring.

8. Your Geekiest Duds
Whether you’re cosplaying or going in your civvies, SDCC is a great place to people watch. Do your part and add to the geek ambience. Pick our your most awesome nerdy shirt and wear it with pride. An added bonus is that you look even more awesome in pictures like this:

Yours truly with Mark Sheppard

;)

9. Business Cards
You’re likely to meet a lot of awesome people at Comic Con. You can always exchange info on napkins, but it’s kinda nifty to be able to hand them a card with your pertinent info. If the gods of printing smile upon me, I’ll have some spiffy The Discriminating Fangirl cards in my pocket.

10. Mascots
Last year, I brought Lil’ Wolvie & Phoenix. This year… I’m going to have to go buy something, because all of my toys are packed up in Texas. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I suppose I had a brain fart while packing for my summer nomadic trek. But yeah, I need to find a new toy to take along, because it makes for some really fun photos:

Hope this was a helpful list! If you’re going to SDCC or the Geek Girls Tweetup, keep an eye out for me!