THON's 46 hours are coming to a close, and surprisingly the dance floor is still packed with dancers and the Bryce Jordan Center has officially closed its doors and a line has formed outside.
The situation behind the scenes, however, isn't as pretty and colorful as it is out on the floor. Dancers have been forced to quit due to exhaustion. Many are holding each other, crying on one another's shoulders for support as they battle the physical and mental toll that staying awake and on one's feet for 46 hours can have.
Large 46-hour long dancing charity events tend to attract some crazies. Besides Halloween, THON is the best, and most appropriate time of the year at Penn State to get as dressed up as absurdly as possible. This year, we have a few candidates for most absurd costume, including a giant box robot, Buzz Lightyear, and the Gingerbread Man.
I'm beginning to lose feeling in my fingers. It's been over 31 hours since THON started. That's like watching almost one and a half seasons of '24' back-to-back. Spirits are high on the dance floor though and the dancing is still raging on strong. But it is becoming apparent that some of the following symptoms of sleep deprivation are beginning to take effect:
But Matt is trying not to keep his mind on such things.
THON is nearing the 24-hour mark and yet the energy continues to surge throughout the arena. How the dancers are constantly dancing and moving and without sleep no less, I just do not understand. I’m barely able to keep myself awake while typing this right now. But our dancer, Matt Swingle offered a few pointers […]
The sun is rising over the valley and on any typical Saturday morning here in State College a select few gym rats would be running outside in their Under Armour and there'd be women in high heels from the night before (or men, in sneakers) making the long trek of shame back to their dorms. Hungover drinkers would still be hugging the toilet from last night. But this is THON Saturday, and the party is still raging inside the BJC.
Most people know of THON as the huge charity dance-a-thon that raises vast sums of money for children with cancer. But what does it take to be a THON dancer?
You can't sleep for days on end.
You line up to eat buffet-style food at designated intervals.
You use communal bathrooms.
You aren't allowed to know the time.
You are called out by a DJ when it's time to take your medication.
You dance your ass off.
Sounds like some crazy acid trip of a dream doesn't it. Many would consider it crazy.
Read on to learn about THON Dancer Matt Swingle and what it takes to dance at THON.