I remember when I went to my first Star Trek convention in 1990, at a medium-sized venue outside of Buffalo, NY. I met James Doohan, Denise Crosby, and George Takei, bought my first cosplay shirt, (command gold, thank you,) and won a prize during a trivia contest because I knew what “Savvik” meant. Having been the definition of “square peg” during my 12 years of public education, attending this convention made me feel like I had finally found others like me, so I’d like to give back by offering a few tips for anyone about to jump into the fandom fray and attend their first convention.
Drink your warp-speed juice
Preparing to have the stamina for a Star Trek convention means 3 words: caffeinate, caffeinate, caffeinate! Whether you prefer coffee, (my personal choice and non-romantic life partner,) tea, or energy drinks, packing beverages that give you the energy of a Vulcan during Ponn Farr (without all the urges to kill those around you) and keep you energized for those multiple treks around the merchandise floor! Bonus tip: If those around you can see your heart beating through your cosplay, consider switching to water.
Babble it out beforehand
Nothing ruins a convention experience like accidentally burying your favorite actor in a family-size word salad because you didn’t know what to say so instead, all of it comes out (ask Dwight Schultz, I did this to the poor, kind man at Emerald Con in Seattle in 2014 and he was so sweet about it.) This will lead you to replay the moment in your head over and over for the next decade, so practice what you’d like to say in front of a mirror or, even better, a still shot or poster of your chosen celebrity. This tactic worked for me when I met Scott Bakula last August (or at least I’ve been told, that man sent me into fandom orbit so hard I barely remember what happened once I walked away.)
What does it mean, “create a budget?”
Whether you’re planning to experience a Star Trek convention over 3 days or blaze through it all on a whirlwind of a Saturday, sticking to a premade budget can help you avoid bankrupting yourself for the month on the merchandise floor. While local cons are usually easier on your bank account, financial planning can help you avoid impulse purchases. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go dust my life-sized cardboard cutout of Captain Archer. Happy convention season, and keep up with Star Trek news and more on our Facebook and X pages!