| |
In lugnet.org.glug, Dylan Jambrek wrote:
> What is a problem, is my mother's worry about my security. It was
> previously thought that my friend Evan Butzlaff was going with us,
> so that the buddy system would come into play. But now, he can't
> come, lack of funds.
>
> So, I am at a loss, I need something to assure my mother that I
> will be safe. I hope that some of you guys can help me, with
> suggestions that will make her believe that my saftey is not an
> issue, that I will not be alone at all times, and the like.
> Please help me, the time grows short.
Well, here's what I can tell you (and your parents).
I started going to GenCon in 1981 when I was eleven years old. I went with my
parents and they kept pretty close watch over me at first. As they became more
comfortable with the situation I was given more and more freedom and by the end
of that first con they were comfortable with giving me run of the campus (it was
at UW-Parkside in those days). GenCon was in many ways a big peaceful family.
The truth is, I think it's a little less personal and happy now -- things
changed a little with the advent of collectible card games. I'm not sure why,
maybe because of the increase in commercialization of things (CCG collections
started being pilfered when theft was all but unheard of before). But I still
think that it is wildly safe for a fifteen year old. I also think that at
fifteen, you're almost an adult and can be expected to behave like one. I guess
if your folks disagree, you're stuck with that.
I'm bringing my eight year old son and I think he'll be with one of the parents
at almost all times (running to the bathroom or snack bar isn't a problem), but
if he were 12, he'd run free and we'd stay in radio contact.
If you're planning to play LEGO based games primarily, then you'll be with a
great group of adults :) and you'll be safe, but none of us can take
responsibility for you.
When I was fifteen, I found an ad for a D&D camp in the back of Dragon Magazine,
but it was in a small town called Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. I lived in
suburban St. Louis. I had to convince my folks that I was responsible enough to
ride the train alone to Chicago, deal with an eight hour layover in the Chicago
train station and then take a trane to Harrisburg and a taxi to Shippensburg. I
did and it was quite an adventure (I made several dollars for video games in the
trainstation by taking baggage carts back to the machines for the deposits). I
happen to think this kind of thing is good for people of your age.
I hope that you do manage to come. Your presense at the games will be good and
I'm sure you'll have fun. I don't know the nature of Evan's financial problems,
but have you considered loaning him a bit of cash to make the trip possible for
the both of you?
If you or your folks have any specific questions or concerns about GenCon,
please feel free to email me and I'll get back to you. This will be my 22nd
GenCon and I've been as a kid, as a teen, as an adult, and as a parent, so I
feel comfortable commenting.
Chris
|
|
Message is in Reply To:
 | | Gencon And HELP!
|
| Well, the time is approaching, and the 4 best days of gaming come closer. So how many of you GLUG readers out there are making the trek to Indy and the first meeting of GLUG? What game(s) will you be playing? Will you be GMing? What Teklevel of (...) (21 years ago, 14-Jul-03, to lugnet.org.glug, lugnet.gaming)
|
4 Messages in This Thread:
 
- Entire Thread on One Page:
- Nested:
All | Brief | Compact | Dots
Linear:
All | Brief | Compact
|
|
|
|
