Welcome

[Kazzie187]

Easier said than done

[elephantgirl]

Hello everyone,

Just checking in to say hi. I will definitely be attending AT5, very much looking forward to it. It'll be my first AT event, so it'd be nice to have some people show me around.

I've been to a whole bunch of Stargate-related conventions before, but most of those were in the US/Canada. Since I moved back to Europe last year, I'm giving the conventions this side of the Atlantic a go as well and I'm sure it will be great!

If you've been to some Creation conventions, I'm the girl lugging the elephant around, LOL. I figure I probably know a few of you from previous conventions but I'm not sure...

[Elainec]

Welcome, I'm sure you'll have lots of fun.

[Trindajae]

I don't know you from previous cons but I'm happy to see you anyway! Welcome to the group.

[Jenn_S]

Welcome to the madness

*huge hugs*

Jx

[elephantgirl]

Thanks for the welcome, everyone.

I don't know you from previous cons but I'm happy to see you anyway! Welcome to the group.

Funny you should say that, because I do remember seeing you. Vancouver maybe? 2008 or 2009? Not quite sure...

[Trindajae]

Gatecon 2008, maybe? That was my first convention and I don't remember much about it. Mostly I just remember being somewhat crazed... Hopefully I wasn't doing anything too embarassing when I caught your attention.

[rahrah89]

Hello everyone!

I plan to attend AT5 in London this coming year. Can't get my ticket for another week or so but apparently they're still available (so thankful!). A little nervous granted the location and the fact that I'll know nobody lol... but hopefully it'll be a fun weekend. You all seem lovely from the posts I've read!

[Elainec]

One of the easiest ways to get to know people if coming for the first time is to play around on the forums, you will soon get friendly with people and then it becomes a lot easier and natural to arrange to meet up with them at the event.

As you may have seen from other posts, everyone has the same thing in common (meeting Amanda) so it's easier to go up to people and start chatting - the other con attendees are usually fairly easy to spot.

There is also the newbie meeting on the Friday afternoon before everything really kicks off, so if you are able to attend that it's also a great place to meet other attendees.

If you're unsure how the event runs, check out the FAQ's, but then if you have any questions, just throw them out and someone will no doubt try to provide you with a (semi) sensible answer!

Welcome to the boards and hope you get a ticket - the more the merrier.

[Trindajae]

There is also the newbie meeting on the Friday afternoon before everything really kicks off, so if you are able to attend that it's also a great place to meet other attendees.

You know.. I've been to two Gabit events now and I've never been to the opening newbie meeting. I meant to go both times but I never made it to the assigned room because I got caught in the lobby talking to other attendees. Which I suppose means we made the lobby a spillover room for the social gathering...

[Elainec]

Perhaps third time will be the charm?

[Trindajae]

Nah, I still have fun even if I get waylaid in the lobby. No worries.

[liesl_99801]

Not much time now everyone!!! Hope you are all getting excited! I cannot wait to meet all the new folks and get together with all the old ones. Great things in store for this event. Know you will all have a blast! See you all very soon!!!

[Amanda_Tapping_Fan]

Not much time now everyone!!! Hope you are all getting excited! I cannot wait to meet all the new folks and get together with all the old ones. Great things in store for this event. Know you will all have a blast! See you all very soon!!!

Oh absolutly getting excited....i leave for europe in 11 days.....YAY!!!!!!!!

[spencerwinters]

So I thought I'd pop in and say hi while I still can't concentrate on my school work. LOL

Hi everyone! My name's Jessica and I'll be attending AT5! I can't wait. This is quite a spur-of-the-moment thing for me, part of trying to fulfill my NY's resolution. Kinda. lol.

I'll be traveling from Bournemouth. I'm studying there at the moment, but am from Singapore.

I can't wait! I've never been to any of such events or any conventions before. Since this one is near by and the dates don't clash with any of my school work due dates, why not?

On a side note, I'm also in search for a room mate for Thurs, Fri and Sat nights. lol.

[Trindajae]

Welcome to the craziness.

[Sam]

Hi guys! thought id introduce myself too... Im Sam, 23 from Leicester been an Amanda Tapping for a good 10 years (shes like my role model), this will be my first ever convention :S little nervous dont know what to expect really and ill be coming down on my own as no one wanted to join me but hey im not missing out!

Ive had abit of a nose on the forum but if anyone has any advise or could give me abit of an itinery for AT5 so i can organise myself as to what to expect that would be great.

I havent booked any rooms yet so if anyone is up for sharing on the fri/ sat sent me an email.

Looking forward to the weekend and meeting everyone.

Sam x

[Trindajae]

Hey Sam, no worries about attending alone. Just be friendly and introduce yourself to people and you'll only be alone for as long as it takes to check in to the hotel. AT4 was my first GABIT convention (only my 2nd ever of any kind) and I'd made some friends on the Sanctuary message boards but otherwise didn't know anyone besides my mom (she'd come for the general touristing and reluctantly agreed to attend the convention as well, then became a fan of conventions by the end of the weekend). As we arrived at the hotel, I pointed to a group of women and announced that they were part of the convention. My mom asked how I knew because none of them were wearing convention badges yet and the convention t-shirts (a.k.a. convention uniform) hadn't been distributed. I answered, "It's a group of more than ten extremely excited females. And I could hear them from outside." I was completely right, of course.

The other convention attendees will not be hard to spot. Just look for the loud ones who can't quit grinning and periodically bounce off the walls. Join any group that's speaking a language you understand. If you don't immediately hit it off with them, join a bigger group. You'll quickly find someone to hang out with for the weekend.

As far as itinerary, last time the registration was on Friday afternoon, the meet & greet for the newbies to introduce themselves to each other was late on Friday afternoon, the opening ceremonies and Q&As started on Saturday, the charity auction and dance were Saturday evening, the serious crying took place on Sunday, and closing ceremonies was Sunday evening. The crying continued a little on Monday as people were saying goodbye in the lobby and making last-minute exchanges of email addresses. Pretty much everyone except for the last of us stragglers was gone by Tuesday morning. Don't skip anything if you can at all avoid it. Attend the auction even if you can't bid on anything because it's seriously quality entertainment, and the dance is fun if you're willing to ask to be taught the dances. Don't feel at all bad if you don't know them already, they're called condances for a reason. You won't have seen them outside of conventions. Oh, and there are YouTube videos for the well-known ones like "Doctorin' the TARDIS" and "Star Trekking" (comic rendition, lyrics - That one's hard to find a good-quality instructional video for). In-person instruction is better, but if you'd like to take a look beforehand, there you go.

[Sam]

Hi, Thanks for the reply, eeekkk not long now i am quite excited ive had a sneeky look at you tube at them condances im not the best of dancers but hey it looks fun!

looking forward to meeting all of you guys soon.

Sam x

[Ronnie19]

*** Newbie Alert ***

Hello wonderful people

I'm Rachel (29) and to no suprise am a fan of Amanda Tapping !!! Hope you are all looking forward to the grand event, not long to go now
Hoping to say hi on this forum to a few people before walking into the hotel and getting that 'rabbit in headlights' look through knowing nobody.
AT5 is a first for me as it's my first ever convention, and the nail-biting has started !!!

Thanx
Rachel x

[Elainec]

Welcome Rachel - you will have lots of fun and the rabbit in headlights look will soon disappear.

Trust me when I say that you will have a weekend that you will long remember - for all the right reasons.

[mocha]

really, it won't take long at all to feel like one of the bunch. i can say that because i am extremely shy. i rarely talk to anyone unless they talk first. i am so shy that i won "THE GOLD" at the winter olympics, up in vancouver, in the shyness expressing category. it was a really difficult event to get into, but i did really well and the U.S. sent me as their entry to the competitions. it was a really tough competition but i gave that extra little bit that it takes to win and did in fact have the record highest score for that event. i didn't enter the summer olympics in china because i didn't feel that i had trained sufficiently. i don't know if it was ever covered on t.v. tho. just because of the nature of the event. they felt that a large amount of press might be harmful to the competitors. that's my story and i'm stickin' to it!

[llperkiss]

*** Newbie Alert ***

Hello wonderful people

I'm Rachel (29) and to no suprise am a fan of Amanda Tapping !!! Hope you are all looking forward to the grand event, not long to go now
Hoping to say hi on this forum to a few people before walking into the hotel and getting that 'rabbit in headlights' look through knowing nobody.
AT5 is a first for me as it's my first ever convention, and the nail-biting has started !!!

Thanx
Rachel x

My first one was AT3 - it took about 2 minutes (or less) before someone came up to me to say hello, intro themselves and sweetly ask me to join their group. Of course, once they get to know you the "sweet" part disappears and you become one of the many!

[Ronnie19]

Oh Guys, you are all so sweet, and I'm not feeling quite so nervous. Thank you.

I'm arriving at the hotel on Thursday, so if anyone is around and fancies a chat & drink let me know