I sat at home Friday afternoon before heading to the Bryce Jordan Center thinking about what I would experience for the next two days. I knew it would be something I never forgot, something that I would take with me for the rest of my life, no matter how old I got. When I returned to my couch on Sunday evening, I realized that I didn't dream big enough.
In this autobiographical presentation, a dancer records her thoughts at key points during Thon so she can share her perspective on the event. --Natalie Sheehan
Throughout THON weekend, everybody had their own tips on how to stay motivated, stay dancing and stay sane.
Some people thought the best way to stay awake was embarking on a 1000-word puzzle while others provided piggy-back rides across the floor.
Penn State shattered its previous THON fundraising record this afternoon when the 2011 Overall Committee flipped over its now iconic white placards to reveal that this 2011 total was $9,563,016.09-- an increase of more than $1.7 million over 2010. Tomorrow there will be time to look back at the weekend and remember the memories created over 46-hours this February in the Bryce Jordan Center. For now though, revel in this: your university's better than any other when it comes to what masters most.
The final 16 or so hours of THON are probably the biggest emotional roller coaster you will ever go on.
You start off with the thrills of the pep rally, the tears and laughs of dancer mail, the long overnight where anything could happen and Family Hour which occurs in the 43rd hour.
Your brain doesn’t know how to process this at times, something I now know from experience.
The 46 hours of THON Weekend mean many things to many people. But to 7-year-old Justin Burns, it's a chance to hang out with the big kids. I got a chance to speak with Justin and his mother Maria Sunday morning as the final hours approached. I found out his favorite THON activities, hobbies and how he spent his weekend in State College. The Burns are a Four Diamond Family from Avoca, PA and Justin is Glee Club/Oriana's (GC/O) Four Diamonds Child. Justin and his mother traveled to State College Friday for their second THON. Read on for more about their weekend at THON.