If you have a job or are in school or have people in your life you like to see occasionally, then you’ve probably been on Zoom at some point in this year. Maybe you’ve even attended a virtual event like a convention already! But just in case you haven’t, here are some pointers on how to be an A+ Virtual CONfab attendee.
Be patient
Technology isn’t perfect, and neither are people. Zoom calls can be chaotic. Our presenters and Con Comm and volunteers are doing their best. With a little patience and understanding from all sides, we can run a fun—even if it’s buggy—con.
Mute yourself!
Please, please, please, make sure you’re muted. Unless you’re called on to ask a question or participate, please stay muted. In some cases our tech mods may be in charge of muting/unmuting you, but it’s better to be safe than sorry and regularly check that your mic is off.
Follow the guidelines
Each program that you attend at Virtual CONfab will have guidelines on how and when to participate. The presenters will inform you during your program, and would very much appreciate it if you stick to them. Having multiple people on a Zoom call without the assistance of facial/body language cues can make conversations messy, and the guidelines are in place to help keep that mess minimal.
Know where to go
Links for the Zoom meetings will be shared in the schedule. Once you’re in your program, only use the Zoom chat for technical issues. Acquaint yourself with the locations of the mute button, the Raise Hand button, and the chat. Join our Discord server so you can ask questions of the panelists and interact with other con attendees. Make sure you follow us on Twitter at both our main con account and our status account, to keep apprised of any last minute changes to programming. And as always, if you have a question about how things go, you can email the Con Comm at info@confabcon.com.
HAVE FUN.
This is definitely a last but not least situation. We want you to have a good time. Sure, we’re not all together in a hotel ballroom, sleep deprived and running on caffeine and enthusiasm. But we can still enjoy our con together. Wear a fun fandom t-shirt, keep some snacks at your desk, and come ready for a party.