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how to survive comic con, minae's top tips!

Hello my little angels! How have you all been this May? I've finally finished my exams and my essays have been submitted. I'm so so happy to have that weight off my shoulders~  I can relax and get my summer holiday started! So, not long after woke up from a well deserved nap after submitting my final essay, my sister reminded me that expo is tomorrow, lolol. I've been so focused on completing this year of university that I totally forgot about may comic con! This post has been in the drafts for a long time now, so what better time to release it than now?!



I'm sure it needs no introduction, but let me do it anyway. The MCM London Expo is easily the most popular comic con in the UK. Anyone who loves Gaming, Comics, Anime, TV Shows, JPOP, and Movies can find something to enjoy at comic con. Since there are so many things to do and so many people, it can be a little chaotic at times. This comic con will actually be my 10th year attending, so I thought it would be cool to write a few tips on how to survive the crazy weekend! A lot of these tips will can be used for any convention, so whether you're attending Anime Expo or Comic Con, I hope you can use these small tips on your next trip! Let's get right into it!

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Buy your tickets early! Buying your tickets at the door when you arrive could put you back an extra £5, which could be spent on a nice lunch, so get your tickets online!
Find a place to stay. I live in London so it's fairly easy for me to get to the MCM expo, but if you live far from the venue, book a hotel months in advance.
Plan your day! Make sure you know what you actually want to see or do and when it starts to avoid disappointment if you miss a show or event, or worse, you wasting a lot of time walking around.
Get to the venue early. Yes, even priority entry queue's will be packed. Try getting there 1-2 hours before doors open to avoid the queue. Bring some food and play some games with your mates or a handheld to keep you going.
Plan your spending money. Try to find a limit on how much you should spend, but don't be unrealistic with how much you bring. Make sure you have money to eat and travel as well.
ALWAYS bring cash with you! Some stalls accept card, but most don't. You really don't wanna be in a 30 minute wait queue for the only cash machine that hasn't broken down.
Check the other stalls!  I can't tell you guys how many times I've bought a figure, only to find it £10 cheaper somewhere else! Compare prices of your wanted item at each stall to find the best deal.
Wait until you spend! Just before expo closes, some merchants lower their prices so they don't need to carry so much stock home. Use this time to haggle those prices down! lol

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Charge up!!!! It's the worst not having enough battery on your phone or camera to record memories. Make sure your electrical are fully charged before you head out, or bring a portable charger!
+ Your body needs to be too. Eat a big breakfast in the morning and a light lunch to keep you going. There are plenty of delicious Japanese stalls for snacks too. Also stay hydrated!! 
Bring your meds with you! It can get very hot in the convention halls and you don't want to start feeling sick while you're out having fun, so make sure you pack them!
Please shower. If there is anything I want you to take from this post, it's please, please freshen up before you leave your house. No one wants to be squashed between a smelly guy.
And carry hand sanitizer, wipes and tissues! MCM London averages around 130 thousand guests with each event, and unfortunately we've got to assume that not all 130k attendee's will be hygienic folk, that's just how it is.

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Respect Cosplayers! Don't take a photo of them while they're sorting out their cosplay or eating. Just politely ask them for a photo, they will happily pose for you. You get a decent photo and they get the satisfaction. Go the extra mile and ask for a social account to promote them if you decide to post their photo's online, they'll be glad you asked even if they decline to give you one.
Be kind to everyone. Expo is filled with different strokes, but we're all here to enjoy the same thing, so be kind! It's not just British people here, so some people may not understand our social etiquette (like queues!). Don't slaughter them for it, just politely tell them they have to queue lol. Let's make expo enjoyable for everyone. 
Take everything in!! Look around the stalls and visit a panel, give yourself time to do things. The day goes really quickly, but it will only get faster if you keep rushing yourself to see every single thing. Eventually, you'll realize that you spent so much time rushing and not enough time actually taking in the events of expo! There are some really cool things to do at the art and gaming areas, so take some time to walk around there and get into the action!

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I hope you guys enjoyed my little tips. I'm sure if you're a frequent comic con goer, you already know all the tips here, so this is for 1st timers or those of you who might have been out of the game for a bit haha! Since i'm working this weekend, I'll only be attending the Friday (tomorrow!), so feel free to follow my antics on my instagram story!

Until then, 

Minae 

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