“Take it slow and focus on making friends rather than hooking up.” (pg 44, How To Avoid Hara-Kiri)

*Today’s post comes from one of the rare few, who actually met, fell in love, got engaged and ultimately married AT an anime convention!

This issue can go one of two ways. You are either dating a non-anime fan and bringing them to a convention, or you are going to the con hoping to find love. Lets cover both shall we?!

If your significant other is not a big anime fan, but you want to show them this is something that is a big part of your life, go for it! Here are some things you can do to make their experience as fun and exciting as possible.

1. Explain how important conventions are to you and why they are a big part of your life. Then let them know how much it would mean to you if they were to experience it with you! Try to stay away from saying things like, “They are soooooo FUN!” because, believe it or not, they might not see it as enthusiastically and could be less inclined to go.

2. Don’t ask them to attend for all three days if they are not gung-ho about it. While they may attend for one-day, and then exclaim how much they loved it and how much they can’t wait to go again, when you first tell them about the idea, three days can seem a bit daunting.

3. Incase they do not enjoy the con (or are simply too overwhelmed to attend a second day), make sure there are plenty of other things for them to do while you are out at the con. If the convention is local, suggest they have a ladies (or guys) night out. If it’s out-of-town, suggest they invite another non-anime fan buddy to go with you guys; that way if you are running around to photoshoots, gatherings or panels, they wont be left alone and bored out of their minds (And then never want to go with you again!). Also look up things to do in the local area that they could attend as an alternative (Baltimore has an aquarium, zoo, baseball stadium, harbor tours and tons of shopping all within walking distance of the convention center). Just remember to be considerate of their feelings like you’d want them to be of yours. (How would you feel if they asked you to attend a week-long stamp collecting convention?!)

And now for those looking for love at conventions!

Rule #1 – DON’T DO IT!!!

HAHA! But seriously, you are probably thinking, “Hey! All these people like the same stuff I do, so no doubt there must be someone here for me!” And while this is probably true *glances at wedding ring* seldom good ever comes from looking for love. If you attend your convention with the mentality, “I am going to have a BF/GF by the time I leave on Sunday”, chances are you will have a miserable weekend. Why you ask? Simple, you will be so busy trying to find your “Love Connection”, you will miss out on everything else! And most likely miss out on many of the things you really, really, really wanted to do that weekend! Love just…..happens, and as cliché as it sounds, it is usually when you least expect it. However, if you are determined to find love at a con, here are some tips that may help.

1. Go to a nearby social scene (i.e. local bars or gatherings) held outside the convention center. As sad as it is to admit, many anime fans aren’t very social; by attending a very social event, you are more likely to talk to and meet with multiple people, upping your chance of meeting someone special.

2. Remember where you are! OMG, you just met the cutest boy in the world, and he totally thinks your cool and you exchange numbers, and “Wtf area code is this?” While I personally have nothing against long distance relationships, because yes, they can sometimes work out *glances at husband*; that isn’t always the case. People come from all over the world to attend anime conventions, so if you don’t want to end your relationship before it starts, find out where they are from first! Attending smaller, more local conventions also helps up the “I’m A Local” numbers.

3. Meaningful relationships don’t start in beds! Seriously, they don’t. If you are looking for a one-night stand/one-weekend fling, that is up to you; but for those looking for something that will last, don’t jump into bed with someone you just met. For obvious reasons, like you don’t know much about them, you don’t know who they’ve been with, you don’t know if they’ve been tested, etc, etc. The person who wants to go right to sex is probably the one looking for a fling, so if they invite you upstairs to see their “Gundam” it is best to decline. Stick to people who ask you out to coffee and dinner.