8Bit/Digi

There is no better way to celebrate the culture you love then going to a fan convention. The weekend will be all about meeting new friends and celebrities while learning from industry leaders. Be it a weekend at Silicon Valley Comic Con or Fanime, you are going to have a fun time.

However there will be a few moments that will damper your festivities. These will be moments of discomfort and sometimes it can’t be avoided. Here is a look at five horrible feelings everyone will have during a con weekend.

5. Panel Remorse

Every fan has encountered this scenario; there are two panels that are of interest but they are both at the same time, which one do you attend? It’s going to be hard choice between a panel hosted by the Foundation for the Preservation of Gen 1 Pokemon and a panel hosted by an industry expert who wants to share his wisdom. You will have to make a choice but then there is the risk that the panel you attend could be boring.

Panel remorse happens when you pick one panel or event over another but regret your decisions. Sometimes a speaker can be boring or the description was misleading and you ended up in the dullest panel every. The worst is when you choose to sit in the front which makes escape impossible because you risk being publicly shame.

In the end, you sacrificed what could have been an inserting panel or event for something boring. Don’t feel bad as everyone will experience this at least once during a major con weekend given the many choices. Also this is why you don’t pick another panel over one hosted by the Foundation for the Preservation of Gen 1 Pokemon.

4. Con Stank

Be it a major event or a small community event, every con will be set in a convention hall that is packed beyond capacity. The convention is already packed with vendors, fans, along with cosplayers, but then add the presence of neck beards and you get the perfect storm of con stank.

Con stank is that awful smell that is concocted when the body odor of sweaty fans mixes with the chemicals from the costumes then enhanced by the presence of those who have not showered or used deodorant. It’s an unbearable smell that no fan will ever get use to despite encountering it at almost every event.

This is more of a problem encountered at major cons and minor cons during the summer time. Major cons held in cramp locations are always the perfect breeding grounds for con stank. Meanwhile a lot of the minor cons are going to be held at community centers that lack proper ventilation, hence con stank is guaranteed to brew.

Con stank can be avoided if most people just seriously used deodorant during the convention.

3. Cosplay Doubt

Dressing up as your favorite character has been an age old con tradition. Fans take the time to perfectly recreate the outfits worn by their favorite characters. You will encounter fans who have dressed like Eren Jaeger, Darth Vader, Batman, WWII era Captain America or Dale Gribble. This may look easy to fans who cosplay regularly or professionally but its a different feeling if its someones first time.

Enter cosplay doubt, the feeling someone has when they cosplay for the first time. The idea and design may look great when you were making your outfit but everything changes once you step on the convention floor. You might feel that you used the wrong design, the outfit looks like it was made on a budget or the gear is not authentic to the character. It’s understandable to have these doubts since doing something for the first time is always scary and people can be total jerks sometimes.

Thankfully all the fears and doubts will disappear after a few people ask to take your picture.

2. Post-Con Blues

It was an exciting weekend that allowed fans to celebrate the culture they love while meeting the talent behind the craft. One will never forget all the celebrities they meet along with the new friends that were developed. Sadly it will all have to end and everyone has to return to their boring 9 to 5 job the next day.

It’s hard to go back to a normal life after spending the weekend cosplaying as Batman, made friends with guy dressed as Goku and got the chance to meet Clark Gregg before he had to leave for Tahiti. Not helping is coming to work but have no one to share your exciting weekend with because they are either too grumpy or don’t care since it’s not sports ball related.

Hopefully you stay in contact with your new con buddies and try to meet up once in awhile before the next event.

1. Buyers Remorse

Following the post-con blues will be the buyers remorse you will have once it becomes clear how much was spent during the weekend. You wanted those awesome t-shirts, a special edition DVD collectors set, some original artwork, and those hard to find titles for the Gamecube that is still hooked up to your TV.

This happens when you let impulse take over and now you’re in serious debt. Half the merchandise could have been purchased on Amazon for cheap but you decided to spend $40 on a t-shirt. Also don’t use the “I wanted a souvenir” excuse because pictures and free hooch (like posters and t-shirts) would have worked fine.

I know walking through the row of vendors makes you feel like a kid in a candy store but your a grown adult who has responsibility. That awesome rare DVD collection or that Goku figure is not worth going bankrupt.

What are your thoughts on the experience the worst feelings you’ve had during a con weekend? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.