Congratulations, THONers: You've made it to Hour 14. Hopefully y'all are still wide awake, energetic, and dancing. Keep in mind, though, that we're in the first leg of the marathon and still have the bulk of THON to go. If you're planning on staying for all 46 -- or at least for a substantial part of all 46 -- you're going to want to budget your energy accordingly. To help you with this task, we here at Onward State have compiled a brief list of tips and tricks to keep your energy levels up for as long as possible.
For junior Melissa Wenzel, the journey to Penn State and THON wasn't an immediate one, but it was the most important.
Now in her third semester, Wenzel is dancing in THON for the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA). Wenzel transferred to Penn State from Elmira College in New York in her fourth semester. With only a little over a year under her belt at Penn State, Wenzel looked towards THON to help her get acquainted at the dauntingly large university.
We have officially reached that point at the BJC. Dance moves have gotten loopy. Outfits have become progressively more ridiculous. Props are just absurd. Take the brothers of Kappa Delta Rho, who are currently sporting such fashions as a cropped cat sweater and margarita print Hawaiian shirt while they dance and wave around a plunger. Yes, a plunger; the instrument used to unclog toilets. I decided it was best not to ask where it came from.
Ever since THON originated as a dance competition between fraternities here at Penn State, Greek members have continued to be a driving factor in producing THON's success. During all hours of THON it is impossible to miss the enormous A's, E's and K's bobbing over the crowd.
Various members of fraternities and sororities entered the stage to introduce THON 2013's Greek Hour, including IFC President Chip Ray and PHC President Rachel Franceschino.
Food is probably one of the most underrated yet important ways to keep your energy up -- whether you're dancing or simply attending THON. Dancers have been off caffeine of any kind for weeks leading up to the weekend, so the best option to keep spirits high is to eat regularly throughout the event. Thankfully, the Hospitality committee has taken over the concession stands here at the BJC and are serving up all your THON dietary needs with a cheerful pink-shirted smile.
If you were wondering which shoes to wear to THON 2013, here's what the dancers are wearing on their feet for 46 hours!