Have you ever come home from a convention and felt like you’ve been hit by a ton of bricks? (Pun very much intended.) I don’t mean the post-con blues… I mean sick-sick. If so, you may have experienced the infamous con crud.
Con crud is the umbrella term for the cold, flu, or other non-life-threatening illnesses that somehow sneak into your immune system during or after a convention. (Does COVID count as con crud now? Probably, yes.) These bugs can hit faster than you can empty your swag bag onto the living room floor. Other names include “nerd flu” or “festival plague,” but whatever you call it, it’s never fun.
So how can con crud be avoided? How is it contracted? And what can you do to ensure that the next time you attend a LEGO convention, you remain happy and healthy?
Being sick during or after a convention sucks. Staring at the porcelain throne, the barf basin, or the throne of regret is the worst!
After attending one convention, I contracted a cold that not only cost me a day’s pay at work but also required another hotel room. I was in no shape to go anywhere. Unfortunately, it took me five whole days to feel back to normal.
Many factors contributed to my feeling sick, some self-inflicted: being overbooked, under-rested, and far too hyped to listen to my body. I didn’t ease into the event—I charged in like a builder facing a speed build challenge, and my body pushed back hard. Not getting enough rest before the convention caused my body to force me to “chill” for a few days after the show.
While I was lying around feeling like a MOC who has been dropped and lost a few bricks, I thought to myself, “I wonder how often this happens?” You see online posts from people reporting that they have fallen ill after attending a convention. But how often does this happen? (And how often does this happen, and people don’t share it with the world?) With worldwide conventions—people flying in, driving in, sharing hotel rooms, and being in constant close contact—it seems like con crud is impossible to avoid, not to mention the lack of sleep and the after-hours activities many attendees experience. It feels like you’ve won the lottery if you come home feeling like a brand-new shiny piece of LEGO.
For this article, I’ll take a brief look at the con crud and ways to take precautions to help prevent the contraction and spread of these illnesses at LEGO shows.
How Common is Con Crud?
So how common is con crud? What is the rate of people who fall sick during conventions? While there’s no centralized data set for convention-related illness (no one’s polling AFOLs about their sniffles), anecdotal evidence paints a pretty clear picture.
In 2009, Wired reported that around 100 attendees of the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) in Seattle came down with the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu. In the article, they underscored how quickly illness can spread at events such as this due to density, weakened immune systems from travel, lack of sleep, and eating restaurant foods that your body is not used to.
And back in 1976, the American Legion Convention in Philadelphia became infamous when 182 attendees fell ill and 29 tragically died. The culprit? A previously unknown bacterial infection, later named Legionnaires’ disease, was traced to the hotel’s air conditioning system where many of the attendees had been staying during the event.
Buster the Covid-19 Beast and Barrier Barry
Designed by Miles Finlay
Billy Bidet and Betty Butt Wipe
Designed by Miles Finlay
Bonehead the Box of Booger Catchers and Bobbi the Bottle of Goo
Designed by Miles Finlay
While those examples are extreme, they highlight how easily illness can spread when people from all over the world converge in one place. It’s a surprise more people don’t get sick at LEGO conventions, given how many things are touched, hands are shaken, and rooms are shared. We nerds must be a lucky bunch! Maybe LEGO fans have naturally strong immune systems… or maybe we’re just too introverted to broadcast our health status afterward.
In the LEGO world, there is some post-COVID clarity when it comes to con crud. Bricks Cascade 2020 took place about a week before lockdowns began, so it’s likely that something spread there, no matter how much hand sanitizer was made available. And there were many cases of COVID outbreaks after cons returned as the pandemic was receding, some responsibly alerting attendees about potential exposure and some ignoring the issue entirely. But interestingly, when masking was common, old-school con crud seemed to vanish for a while. There’s something to be said for pandemic-era precautions…
How to Avoid Con Crud
The chances of contracting con crud, while not avoidable, can be reduced by taking simple measures to keep yourself healthy, even though they may be harder to do at a LEGO convention. Importantly, please note that these aren’t medical recommendations, just my observations. Therefore, please do what is best for you and follow your doctor’s guidance.
Wash and sanitize your hands regularly. LEGO conventions are very tactile events! We play with bricks, touch door handles, shake hands, and eat together. Keeping your hands clean is one of the best things you can do!
Stay hydrated. At a LEGO convention, you usually talk more than normal, move around more, and are generally in non-humidity-controlled environments. Drinking lots of water can help you feel refreshed, make you feel less hungry, and prevent headaches. Water is so important that many cons provide water stations or water bottles, too.
Get enough sleep. As tempting as it is to stay up for every after-hours event, your body needs rest to recover and defend itself. Melatonin can also help you adjust after traveling to different time zones.
Eat like you usually eat. This can go both ways. Sometimes, there is so much to do that you forget to eat. If possible, bring snacks to have on hand if you inadvertently skip a meal. Also, consider what and when you are eating. The con-provided midnight pizza buffet or that amazing local hole-in-the-wall joint may taste amazing, but you may pay for it later, especially if your established habits are disrupted. Maybe consider a salad or keep Tums on hand.
All that restaurant food tastes great, but it’s hard on the guts! For some, it can lead to a lot of discomfort.
Consider supplements. Boost your immune system ahead of time by taking supplements like Vitamin C, D, and Zinc for a week leading up to the event and during, and have some Emergen-C on hand just in case.
Limit your alcohol intake. LEGO conventions can feel like an annual reunion of close friends, which is something to celebrate! Just don’t go overboard (or get that super lava bowl at the tiki bar) if you don’t want to be impacted the following day. But if you are, drink plenty of water and consider taking some Tylenol.
Avoid public hours if needed. The general public brings many people in one place with lots of kids who like to touch stuff. You may want to avoid the area if you are concerned about your health. Additionally, you could also wear a mask which is a good signal for people to keep their distance. This goes both ways to help protect yourself and others.
If you feel sick, stay away. This is the hardest advice I can offer—and something I’ve forced myself to do before. Willingly removing yourself from all the fun LEGO events by staying in your hotel room or at home can be tough, but it is the right thing to do to help protect yourself and the health of others.
I suppose not going to any conventions at all could be the answer to maintaining your health, but that’s no fun! FOMO is real when you miss your favorite convention. Following the steps listed above and staying as healthy as possible before and during conventions is a big part of the answer. But let’s face it, that is not always possible.
What To Do If You Get Con Crud
If the crud catches up with you, the best remedy is simple: rest. Let your body recover. When you feel better and if the show is still going, join the crowd again. If you are on the mend and feeling better, go at your own pace, but make sure to avoid close contact, sharing food, or being in closed spaces with others until you are back to your normal self.
If you fall sick during the convention, it can cause feelings of FOMO (fear of missing out), sadness, guilt, and frustration. You spent a lot of time, effort and money to be there! A lot of us have been there. But there are ways to get through these feelings (most often while lying in bed in your hotel room).
If you’ve taken photos in the days before, share them online! Post and tag people, then share them on the convention’s social media sites or group page. That way, you are still there in spirit, albeit not in person. You can also scroll through the posts of others and cheer them on, supporting those who are still in the room.
Finally, some conventions like BrickCon do a virtual component so you don’t have to miss a thing. There are plenty of other ways to participate in the convention without being in the room!
Sleep it off and try again later if you aren’t feeling right at a convention. It’s no fun missing the fun, but it’s even less fun getting others sick.
And if you get sick after the convention, take it as a sign that your body needs some downtime. If con crud hits when you get home, the tips from above still apply! LEGO conventions can be intense marathons of physical and emotional effort that can wear you down. After getting home, try to get some rest. Hopefully, you can take some time off work. If that’s not possible, rest as much as you can, take your vitamins, and drink plenty of water. Time is what the body needs to feel right again.
When illness strikes post con, the best thing to do is get rest (if you can). Sometimes post con blues strikes too. If this happens, start planning your next con to feel better!
Emotional Con Crud is Real
Sometimes, con crud isn’t physical. It’s emotional. Maybe you haven’t caught the actual physical con crud, but are suffering from post-con blues. Going from an intense social event back to normal life can be jarring. One day you are speed building, drafting and celebrating all things LEGO with your community of AFOLs. Then… it’s over. Suddenly, you’re home, the adrenaline fades, and regular life feels dull. That’s emotional con crud. And it can be just as draining.
Here are some ideas on how to bounce back:
Catch up on sleep. Don’t underestimate how tired you actually are. Clear your schedule for a few days if possible.
Eat well and drink plenty of water. Make sure you are stocked up on groceries. Stay hydrated. Eat healthy.
Catch up on self-care. Unpack, do laundry, read a book, take a bath, go for a walk. Whatever floats your boat to ease yourself back into the world.
Build something. Build your door prize or the con model. Sort the swag or draft pieces you got. Or start on that new MOC you were inspired to build. The goal is to keep yourself lightly occupied until the doldrums go away.
Stay connected. Reach out to the new friends you made. Post photos. Leave comments. Keep the spirit of the event alive.
Make plans. Book another LEGO convention trip so you have something to look forward to.
Post-con drop is normal. The key is to let yourself land gently.
Stuck in bed with con crud? Planning your next LEGO getaway is one of the best ways to lift your spirits and give yourself something to look forward to.
LEGO conventions are one of the best ways to connect with the broader LEGO community. They are equal parts creative explosion, social whirlwind, and joyful chaos in the best ways possible. But they can also take a toll. Staying healthy—physically, mentally, and emotionally—isn’t just about avoiding the sniffles. It’s about making sure you’re in the best shape to enjoy every moment of the experience.
No one should have to miss out on these amazing events out of fear of getting sick. By taking a few simple precautions and caring for yourself before, during, and after the show, you can fight back against the dreaded con crud—physical or emotional. Whether it’s your first convention or your fiftieth, know this: if you come down with con crud in any form, you’re not alone. Take care of yourself, recharge, and you’ll be back in building shape before you know it.
What is your secret to staying healthy at LEGO conventions? Let us know in the comments below.
Do you want to help BrickNerd continue publishing articles like this one? Become a top patron like Marc & Liz Puleo, Paige Mueller, Rob Klingberg from Brickstuff, John & Joshua Hanlon from Beyond the Brick, Megan Lum, Andy Price, Lukas Kurth from StoneWars, Wayne Tyler, Dan Church, and Roxanne Baxter to show your support, get early access, exclusive swag and more.