Post by xgoldengurlx on Sept 14, 2017 0:36:52 GMT -5
Hi! My name is Becky Uva and I have been going to Zenkaikon since 2015 and wanted to share an experience that changed my outlook on how staff members are treated.
Our story begins in 2016, Saturday afternoon; the busiest day at Zenkaikon. I was prepared for a day of excitement, dressed as my favorite time traveling mama's boy; Marty McFly. I had gone to Vic Mignogna's panel where he sung "Nothing I won't give" and I fell IN LOVE! This was the second time this man made me cry that weekend (First being the day before where I went to his signing)I decided that I had to start up a CD collection somewhere so I charged up my Cardboard Hoverboard and decided I would go get this CD. Here's one catch...I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder and suffer from terrible panic attacks.
My anxiety causes me to always be early because to be early is to be on time to me and I needed to plan out in my head the many ways to say hello again. Now apparently everyone else had gotten the same idea because the registration/signing area was completely crowded with cosplayers and there were so many lines going from wall to wall to front of doors and I didn't know that I have claustrophobia until that very moment. Then I was pushed, it obviously was an accident being that there were so many people in a crowd that it was very hard to have a personal Bubble at that moment but I felt myself coming close to a big panic attack so I practically jumped the water table and chugged water like it was the end of the world and water was going to cost one million dollars.
Then she came. A staff member stood there on the signing table over a sea of convention-goers and said,"Hello everyone! I know you guys are so excited to see Vic today, I know that I am but you guys are very early! If you all could please leave the area we have many panels going on that are super interesting and we have a big dealers room packed full of cool stuff! Please do us a big favor as we're only trying to make sure you guys are safe and we're all following the rules!" This woman was Ms.Kiwi. I had seen her at a Dante Basco Signing that morning and got a whole tired crowd to chant "RUFIO! ZUKO!"
Needless to say, I decided to talk to her. Being I was very shaken up, I wanted to go meditate as that's what has helped me out of my most severe panic attacks. So I go ask her where the most quietest spot in the building was and she was so eager to help, "Oh Larping hall! 4th floor! They don't even bother you!" And as I was gonna go through to leave, she asked if I was okay and I was very shocked at that question. I didn't really expect it but I explained to her my dilemma, "I have bad anxiety and I just need some time to calm down before I come back," she nodded and asked for me to stay where I was and she walked back inside. At that point I thought she was going to go call somebody over to call my guardian or even call over a medic to come look at me which got me VERY nervous. But she came back out and led me in to meet with another staff member who handed me a line card. That way no matter what, I could still get in line. "Go up and take as much time as you need, sweetie." It hit me with so much emotion that I started balling my eyes out at how overwhelmed I was with happiness and nervousness.
After a quick trip to the bathroom to wipe my eyes, I made my way up to level 4 where I sat on the floor criss cross and listened 30 minutes of ocean noises and finally got the internal piece that I needed to calm down and get myself back to the signing. So I started walking down and I could see in the distance that something was wrong because there was a whole crowd of people near the escalators to get down to registration and what I learned was that people were sitting on the steps blocking people from getting there and I guess there were still people hiding in the bathrooms to get to the signing first so they took a handful of people and cut off the line. I felt my panic attack come back and falcon punch my ribcage in and I felt so lost in my mind. I just wanted a CD and I felt like I wasn't gonna be strong enough to get the CD. I suddenly got the idea to go back to the Basco signing to see if she was there and miraculously she was! I told her what had happened and that even though it would have been nice to see Vic again, I just really wanted to get the CD because I don't have the means to get it after the con. She merely dropped what she was doing and immediately came to my Aid, calling a staff members over to get me downstairs to go to the signing. As I was going down the escalator I turn my head to see many people very unamused and pointing in my direction which gave me the idea that they were saying it wasn't fair (which I understand) but thankfully the staff member who is leading me down started a nice small chat before taking me over to the signing table to get my CD.
After I got the CD, I move my way to the crowd upstairs and made my way over to a Charles Dunbar panel about Studio Ghibli, Very dizzy and exhausted but very happy. Surprisingly I had another pickle at the 2017 Zenkaikon (It was minor) where I wore heels to Friday's Sakura Ball and got definite blisters, I wish I knew this woman's name but she walked me all over to go get me bandaids and proved to be nice company to distract from my hellish feet traps.
I started to think of Miss kiwi's act of kindness along with the cheerfulness of the other staff members. It made me realize how much I appreciated that these people are volunteering their time to make sure that my con experience along with others was a blast and a Day to Remember. From then on, I made it my mission to show my appreciation to other con staff. That 2017 weekend, I bought a pack of gum and started offering sticks of gum to random staff members to show my appreciation, random but definitely something to brighten up their day.
I wanted to share this story to show that sometimes we take the most important things for granted. Convention staff volunteer times of their life to make sure we make memories that are worth sharing and to make sure that not only that we are safe, but our very special guests are and feel the need to come back! If anything, they could have been the ones to go to all the fun panels and go see the guests but they chose to stand up and help us. So with this ending, I challenge you all the next zenkaikon to spread this story and start spreading some happiness to your fellow staff! Walk over for a moment and say thanks or offer a high five! Maybe if your 21 years or older then maybe offer to get them a drink after their shift! The possibilities are limitless but let's start spreading love to our fellow Knights in shining blue Polos!
Facebook: Becky Uva (Beefy Becky)
Our story begins in 2016, Saturday afternoon; the busiest day at Zenkaikon. I was prepared for a day of excitement, dressed as my favorite time traveling mama's boy; Marty McFly. I had gone to Vic Mignogna's panel where he sung "Nothing I won't give" and I fell IN LOVE! This was the second time this man made me cry that weekend (First being the day before where I went to his signing)I decided that I had to start up a CD collection somewhere so I charged up my Cardboard Hoverboard and decided I would go get this CD. Here's one catch...I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder and suffer from terrible panic attacks.
My anxiety causes me to always be early because to be early is to be on time to me and I needed to plan out in my head the many ways to say hello again. Now apparently everyone else had gotten the same idea because the registration/signing area was completely crowded with cosplayers and there were so many lines going from wall to wall to front of doors and I didn't know that I have claustrophobia until that very moment. Then I was pushed, it obviously was an accident being that there were so many people in a crowd that it was very hard to have a personal Bubble at that moment but I felt myself coming close to a big panic attack so I practically jumped the water table and chugged water like it was the end of the world and water was going to cost one million dollars.
Then she came. A staff member stood there on the signing table over a sea of convention-goers and said,"Hello everyone! I know you guys are so excited to see Vic today, I know that I am but you guys are very early! If you all could please leave the area we have many panels going on that are super interesting and we have a big dealers room packed full of cool stuff! Please do us a big favor as we're only trying to make sure you guys are safe and we're all following the rules!" This woman was Ms.Kiwi. I had seen her at a Dante Basco Signing that morning and got a whole tired crowd to chant "RUFIO! ZUKO!"
Needless to say, I decided to talk to her. Being I was very shaken up, I wanted to go meditate as that's what has helped me out of my most severe panic attacks. So I go ask her where the most quietest spot in the building was and she was so eager to help, "Oh Larping hall! 4th floor! They don't even bother you!" And as I was gonna go through to leave, she asked if I was okay and I was very shocked at that question. I didn't really expect it but I explained to her my dilemma, "I have bad anxiety and I just need some time to calm down before I come back," she nodded and asked for me to stay where I was and she walked back inside. At that point I thought she was going to go call somebody over to call my guardian or even call over a medic to come look at me which got me VERY nervous. But she came back out and led me in to meet with another staff member who handed me a line card. That way no matter what, I could still get in line. "Go up and take as much time as you need, sweetie." It hit me with so much emotion that I started balling my eyes out at how overwhelmed I was with happiness and nervousness.
After a quick trip to the bathroom to wipe my eyes, I made my way up to level 4 where I sat on the floor criss cross and listened 30 minutes of ocean noises and finally got the internal piece that I needed to calm down and get myself back to the signing. So I started walking down and I could see in the distance that something was wrong because there was a whole crowd of people near the escalators to get down to registration and what I learned was that people were sitting on the steps blocking people from getting there and I guess there were still people hiding in the bathrooms to get to the signing first so they took a handful of people and cut off the line. I felt my panic attack come back and falcon punch my ribcage in and I felt so lost in my mind. I just wanted a CD and I felt like I wasn't gonna be strong enough to get the CD. I suddenly got the idea to go back to the Basco signing to see if she was there and miraculously she was! I told her what had happened and that even though it would have been nice to see Vic again, I just really wanted to get the CD because I don't have the means to get it after the con. She merely dropped what she was doing and immediately came to my Aid, calling a staff members over to get me downstairs to go to the signing. As I was going down the escalator I turn my head to see many people very unamused and pointing in my direction which gave me the idea that they were saying it wasn't fair (which I understand) but thankfully the staff member who is leading me down started a nice small chat before taking me over to the signing table to get my CD.
After I got the CD, I move my way to the crowd upstairs and made my way over to a Charles Dunbar panel about Studio Ghibli, Very dizzy and exhausted but very happy. Surprisingly I had another pickle at the 2017 Zenkaikon (It was minor) where I wore heels to Friday's Sakura Ball and got definite blisters, I wish I knew this woman's name but she walked me all over to go get me bandaids and proved to be nice company to distract from my hellish feet traps.
I started to think of Miss kiwi's act of kindness along with the cheerfulness of the other staff members. It made me realize how much I appreciated that these people are volunteering their time to make sure that my con experience along with others was a blast and a Day to Remember. From then on, I made it my mission to show my appreciation to other con staff. That 2017 weekend, I bought a pack of gum and started offering sticks of gum to random staff members to show my appreciation, random but definitely something to brighten up their day.
I wanted to share this story to show that sometimes we take the most important things for granted. Convention staff volunteer times of their life to make sure we make memories that are worth sharing and to make sure that not only that we are safe, but our very special guests are and feel the need to come back! If anything, they could have been the ones to go to all the fun panels and go see the guests but they chose to stand up and help us. So with this ending, I challenge you all the next zenkaikon to spread this story and start spreading some happiness to your fellow staff! Walk over for a moment and say thanks or offer a high five! Maybe if your 21 years or older then maybe offer to get them a drink after their shift! The possibilities are limitless but let's start spreading love to our fellow Knights in shining blue Polos!
Facebook: Becky Uva (Beefy Becky)