6 Things I Learned From Attending My First VidCon
Confession: I have never been to a convention. Not Comic Con, not E3—and certainly not VidCon, the world's biggest gathering for digital creators.
So when Sweety High teamed up with musical.ly to livestream three full days from the VidCon floor, I was thrilled to tag along.
After an hour of navigating confusing parking, crazy lines and enormous crowds, I finally got my badge and stepped through the VidCon doors—and I will never be the same.
The Anaheim Convention Center looked more like Disneyland than the giant career fair I was expecting, with giant sets, games and food everywhere you turned.
Here are some of the lessons I learned from my first-ever VidCon:
1. You'll Need a Sweet Tooth
Here's something I didn't expect from my first VidCon: how much sugar I'd consume! From Snickers ice cream bars to DIY donuts, you could hardly walk five feet without running into some sweet freebies. My favorite snack was at the Taco Bell booth, where you could roll out an icy rainbow "Fantasy Freeze" from a cloud of a dry ice, and top it off with gummy bears, sour belts and rock candy.
2. You'll Spend Money
Sure, you can get free candy, but for the good stuff you'll want some cash. From hoodies and hats to sunglasses and nail polish, there's bound to be something that catches your eye and pulls at your purse strings. My favorite was the adorable merch from Joey Graceffa's Crystal Wolf booth:
We are HERE! ???????????????? Come get your free professional manicure with purchase of a polish! ???????? Booth #811 #vidcon #crystalwolf
3. Wear Comfortable Shoes
The Anaheim Convention Center is huge, and there's so much to do. I stuck to my trusty Allbirds and was so glad I did. I easily logged my 10,000 steps a day, and then some.
4. The Competition Is Fierce
From a full-blown American Ninja Warrior course to a whole arcade of video games, there were plenty of opportunities to face off against your friends. One of my favorite games was this Maltesers booth, where you had to catch as many as you could in 30 seconds. I don't have great hand-eye coordination to start, so you can imagine how this went (not great).
5. The Hype Is Real
Sweety High partnered with musical.ly to live stream this year's VidCon, so I got to see some of the biggest new stars in music—and the fans were wild. Their energy was so high that I couldn't help but get caught up in the excitement. I may or may not have screamed a bunch when I saw those boy bands, too.
6. You'll Never Want It to End
Even though my feet are sore, my ears are ringing and my wallet is empty, I loved every second of my first VidCon. You can bet I'll be getting my pass for next year—just as soon as I come down from this sugar rush.
You think VidCon is intense? Try attending New York Fashion Week. Read about one of our writers experiences at the coveted event HERE.