Nobody likes going alone to a furry convention. That’s one of the lessons I learned two years ago when I showed up to Tulsa by myself for my first furcon ever. At that con I learned a lot about what to do and what not to do at these events. Since then I’ve had the privilege of going to several other furcons with friends I made at FFA and others we’ve found along the way. Texas Furry Fiesta this year, in 2024, was probably the best convention experience I’ve had yet. Why is that? Well, drawing from lessons learned in past conventions is really paying off.
First of all, we came with friends. If you come with several other friends, you’ll find it much easier that way to make more friends and connections with other mutuals. You can usually make out the people who come to these conventions alone, because they look sad. They usually leave alone, too.
Second, we got to know each other on social media and Discord before we met. Since my article last October, we met up with a handful of new people, and chatted with them on Discord and Telegram groups before finally meeting in real life in Dallas. It really helps.
I’ve always been interested in furry things, particularly fursuits, but I (still) don’t have one myself. So, this year my job was to be a photo-taker and handler for my fursuiting friends who were here. I also aimed to organize outings for various people I knew were going to a con for their first time ever, and to go to panels with some of the new fursuiting friends I had made over the last months. I had a great time and achieved everything I wanted to at TFF, and then some!
I’m lucky enough to know quite a few people in the fandom, and I’ve been around here for awhile now. Bringing various friends together while at TFF was pretty much my job this year, and it went very well. Furry conventions are way more fun when you’re with friends and making new ones.
I noticed something else: When others see you having fun with close friends, those others will want to join as well. It’s too bad that many furry circles are closed off to new people. They could do themselves a favor by seeking out mutual friends at these events. That’s what I tried this year and it went very well.
My favorite fur suiters everBut what if you don’t have any friends and want to enjoy a furry convention? What should you do then? The best way to “network,” otherwise known as ‘making friends,’ is to bring value to others. I found my own unique set of things to do at TFF this year, but if you don’t know of any specific way to do so, then volunteer your time as convention staff. Also, maybe join our Discord server!
That’s another big lesson I learned two years ago: If people connect regularly online, through game nights, movie nights and artist voice chats, it takes away the awkwardness when we all finally get together in real life for conventions like these. That’s the real value things like Discord servers and Telegram groups bring to the table, if they’re done right.
The sense I get these days is that furries feel isolated and alone because they aren’t interested in the hyper gross, sexual circles and the drug parties. Well, I’d estimate at least half of all furries aren’t into that kind of stuff, but we aren’t organized, our voices are drowned out, and most importantly, we just don’t have a space of our own.
But we actually made a space for these folks, and sure enough, more friends are showing up in real life. We’re going to more conventions, and I’d like to make even more friends. If you’re a furry and this is the kind of space might enjoy, I invite you to come join us.
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