So in about 12 hours I’m going to be boarding a plane to the US, to go be a part of the 2024 Game Developers Conference. I am incredibly excited to go, I’ve been wanting to go to once since I was a little kid¹ so this is like a dream come true to me, but I am also a little worried. Less about the event, more about myself.

Y’see, my original plan was to meet up with another friend in San Francisco and go to the conference together. We wouldn’t have to be glued to eachother, obviously, but it would give both of us someone to talk to and hang out with. The friend in question had to unfortunately cancel, so I’m going on my lonesome, and it’s my first time taking a trip anywhere completely alone.

What do I do with myself.

Like, I’m going to go to the conference, sure, but like… what do I do after the conference? What do I do in the conference? Do I just go to random bars or stay in my hotel room at night? Is San Francisco safe to just walk alone in at night? Where would I walk alone to at night?

I’m sure that I’ll figure something out, but by spending so much money on a flight to a conference two continents over, it feels like I should be making the most out of it. Going to the most bars, most restaurants, meeting the most people. Feels like if I merely go to the conference (which, again, was my original plan) I’m missing out on some hypothetical adventure.

I know it’s silly and I’ll be fine once I’m actually there, but that’s the stuff that’s on my mind right now. I’ll probably write another post once it’s been a few days into GDC to say my general thoughts.