Don't leave home without it!

Don’t leave home without it!

The San Diego Comic-Con Unofficial Blog Staff
July 19, 2011
3:51 pm

Comic Con is almost here! I know many of you are frantically doing some last minute packing and planning. Here are my top 10 items I don’t leave home without. See you in San Diego!

10. The right bag. While I love the super geeky Warner Bros SWAG bag, I find that it is too bulky and cumbersome while navigating the crowded Con. So I opt for a messenger bag type. It’s easy to access and shift around when squeezing between hard to reach places. Pictured above is the one I bought last year.

9. Deodorant. I know, you’ve heard the infamous legends of the wretched hive of scum and body oder of Comic-Con. To help stay ‘fresh’ pick up a travel body deodorant by Axe from Target that you can keep in your messenger bag. They are tiny and only a couple of dollars. I say this to the fellas because, lets face it, girls don’t stink

8. Water bottle. While hydration is essential, so is space saving. The typical water bottle is round and takes up too much space. Check in on water bottle brands that are malleable (pictured above) or flat shaped. Check out a camping store or REI for a bladder water bottle.

7. Snacks. It’s amazing how a little snack can give you the energy boost you need to make it through a long day. Avoid the chocolates and opt for granola bars, nuts, or peanut butter crackers. You need the protein and any chocolate product will melt in the heat.

6. Business Cards. You can make a TON of connections just by standing in line or meeting others in your panels. You don’t have to have a website to have a business card. Just print out a few dozen personal cards and cut them out by hand (your name, e-mail, Twitter, etc). It’s much easier to give out your info, especially if you want to connect with new friends after hours or months later.

5. Laptop/iPad. Make sure you have your technology ready. Remember, wifi is pretty strained and unreliable. Because your tech is trying to find signal, it drains your batteries much more quickly. So keep an extra battery or go into power saving mode. I know its a hassle but whoever posts pics and blogs first wins. If you wait a few days or weeks to post, you will find yourself in a seas of obscurity. Also, make sure you adequately label every thing with your phone number. You will be sorry if you don’t.

4. $$$$. Keep cash on you at all times. Whether its getting a street taco, catching a cab, or buying soda, cash is essential. Don’t leave home without it.

3. Mints. Nuff said.

2. Autograph book/sharpie. You never know who you will run into at the Con. It might be on the convention floor or out at a bar so you want to be prepared. Keep a small notebook with a sharpie with you at all times

1. My Sched. This could be the most important pre-planning that you do. Use the MySched from the Comic-Con website to determine what panels you will go to a head of time. By thumbing through the program book at Comic Con, you will waste precious time trying to decide your fate. Use the MySched and don’t even bother flipping through the book- heck don’t even carry it. It’s extra weight and it will just frustrate you anyways. Simplicity is the key to your happiness and successfully getting into panels.