6-2-1 Guide for surviving a convention.

[johno]

With ConJosé coming up, I figure it's time to start posting some of my guides for conventions.

This is the simplest and most basic.


6-2-1

6 - hours of sleep a night
2 - good nutritious meals a day
1 - shower/bath


Sleep - Cons are busy active places and you don't want to missing anything, but if you don't choose when you'll miss something, you body will choose for you. Worse yet, you'll be so sleep fogged by the end, you don't remember any of it.

Meals - DO NOT graze the parties or consuite for your meals. They mainly provide sweets and carbs, not nutrition. Have a pair of well rounded meals, that provide all the necessary food groups. Besides, meals with friends is more fun then grazing.

Shower/Bath - You may think you didn't sweat, while sitting in those panels all day, but person sitting next to you thinks you did. Think how good it feels to end/start the day feeling clean and refreshed.

Note: Do NOT invert the food and sleep rules. Worldcon is 5 days long, you need your sleep and nothing can replace it.

Note2: My guides are basic starting points. Each individual is a individual (yet I meant that repetition) and should adust for themselves. However, I have found the above to be good starting points. Try them, then adjust them to suit yourself.

Comments

[bellacrow.livejournal.com]

for staff for the cons I work we say "1 meal= 4 hours of sleep", but that's a hot meal with protein etc, not just snacks

[johno.livejournal.com]

For a short convention, I agree, but this is worldcon.

Even the best, well balanced meals cannot replace sleep, for 5 straight days. Nor do you have the chance to make it the sleep as you go along.

[bellacrow.livejournal.com]

ah, I bow to your experience, I've never been to a WorldCon. I just work BayCon and PantheaCon from load in to load out.

And it is different trying to manage your needs as an attendee than just a con-goer. You screw yourself for your shift and you have to answer to someone else, not just your body ;-)

[steelmagnoliaca.livejournal.com]

You forgot the essential "Do not invert numbers" rule.
Maybe I should try for 6 hours, I usually go with 5 but come hme exhausted!

[johno.livejournal.com]

I actually try to keep my "Rules of Con Survival" short and to the point.

For shorter cons you can invert the first two numbers.

You can get by a regular weekend con on 2 hours sleep on Fri and Sat, and a good starter meal on Fri, 6 good meals on Sat, and closing meal on Sunday.

However, if you do invert the numbers, you pay for it on Monday.

I once did a con on NO sleep. Got home on Sunday at 7pm, fell over. Woke up, looked at the clock it 7:00. "Ahh, 12 hours." then realized the shadows outside meant it was 7PM. Not 12, 24 hours of sleep.

[figmo.livejournal.com]

I've never been able to get away with inverting 1 and 2. I need my sleep.

I find I can often get away with healthy grazing (avoid the sweets, stick to proteins and veggies) with meal bar supplements in lieu of one meal, but I make it a point to have a protein-laden meal at least once a day.

[ladythmpr.livejournal.com]

Heh. J, going to a con for the first time, grumbled about the "1 shower a day" rule (Grandma had said he had to take 2 showers over the course of the weekend), but went without protest when we pointed him at the shower every morning. :-)