Managing Expectations and Emotions Reactions from Others Ok, so we all know that looking a bit different can sometimes result in people becoming curious and looking for that little bit too long! While we’re sure it will generally all be fine, we’re mentioning this because if you are going out for the first time without any wig/hat/headwear then you might get a reaction from others that you are not used to and we want you to be prepared for it. Generally, people stare (or say stupid things) because they do not understand or it’s something they’ve never seen before. Take this as an opportunity to educate! Just give them a nice big smile and point at your t-shirt! If anyone asks questions, just answer them. Once they know, they know. The more we educate people, the less of an issue it is! We haven't experienced any problems at our previous Alton Towers events and generally people are just interested in what we were doing. If any of you do get upset by something during the course of the day or afterwards, feel free to give us a ring. We're sure once we’re all together that we’ll all be supporting each other, but you can call us anytime and we’ll do our best to help, even if it’s just to listen. Nerves If it is your first time coming along to an event like this you might be really nervous and not know what to expect. We assure you that you are not the only one feeling like this and there will be many others trying to talk themselves out of it! But honestly once you get there you’ll be fine. What you get out of the day can depend on what you put in however so please get involved and just chat to people or say hello. You’ll keep spotting blue t-shirts as you go round the park and if you join a group it gives a nice opportunity to chat to others who will really know how you’re feeling. Everyone is there to support each other. It might be enough for you to just see other people with alopecia and, if so, that’s great. If you struggle at all on the day then please try and find a volunteer who can help. Afterwards Alopecia is something that gives us many ups and downs in life and sometimes we can keep things to ourselves or put on a brave face (whether you are the person with alopecia or a parent/friend/partner). If you are the only person you know with alopecia or being affected by someone close to you having alopecia, suddenly meeting so many others who understand the journey you’ve been on can get you feeling quite emotional. It’s also a big thing to do putting your alopecia on show when you don’t normally (not that this is expected of anyone). All of this mixed together along with the adrenalin of going on some rather scary rollercoasters might make you feel a bit all over the place. Generally giving you a big high and then possibly feeling a bit drained afterwards. Basically what we're saying is it might make you want to have a bit of a cry at some point! And if it does, that is totally fine and perfectly normal! Just go with it. If you’ve got someone there who can give you a big hug while you do then great, and if you don’t just give yourself a big hug and remember how flaming fantastic you are! And remember the Facebook group is there for you to share anything you need to share or get any support that you need afterwards. Don’t forget that you can email or call us if you need us too.