With THON™ Weekend quickly approaching, now is the time to start preparing for the best 46 hours of the year! Whether this is your first year in the stands, you’re serving on a committee, or you’re wrapping up your final semester by dancing for an organization, these tips will help you have an incredible weekend For The Kids®.
- Bring some fun fidgets: Pop-Its, Needohs, and fidget spinners will all help keep you occupied.
- Understand the bag policy: acceptable bags include a 12” x 12” x 6” clear tote, a gallon-sized plastic zip top bag, and a 6.5” x 4.5” wallet or fanny pack.
- Do not bring food or beverages of your own! You can buy food and beverages on the concourse throughout the weekend; everything is cashless, so be sure to plan accordingly. Dancers and captains will have provided meals!
- Bring an empty reusable water bottle to refill throughout the weekend. Bonus points if it has a loop that you can attach to a fanny pack or bag for easy carrying!
- Wear layers! The temperature in the Bryce Jordan Center (BJC) can fluctuate, so make sure you pack or wear t-shirts, tank tops, shorts, hoodies, and pants to stay comfortable.
- Tennis balls will be your best friend: they are perfect for rolling out your feet when they start to hurt.
- Purchase a Diamond Guide! Diamond Guides include THON stories, a unique coloring book created by the THON community, the names of each dancer, and much more to keep you entertained with your friends.
- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Make sure that you’re consistently drinking water, especially during the water socials put on by the Hospitality Committee!
- Eat plenty of food: if you’re feeling hungry, don’t wait to eat. It’s important to keep your body fueled throughout the weekend!
- Be cognizant of watches, timers, and phone lock screens showing: many dancers do not want to know the time, so make sure you conceal anything that will give it away. You can change your phone lockscreen and numbers to black so that you don’t accidentally flash the time to a dancer!
- Listen to the Rules & Regulations members: the volunteers in red are there to keep everyone safe, so please follow their directions and be respectful.
- Bring gum: whether you’re a fan of minty or fruity flavors, having packs of gum on hand for yourself and your friends can help you perk up (and will keep your breath fresh).
- Lean on your friends! Send text check-ins throughout the weekend, write letters of encouragement, and give out hugs and high fives. Small gestures truly go a long way to help get everyone through the 46 hours.
- Buy carabiners: you won’t want to hold your belongings all weekend, so get a carabiner that you can attach to a bag for your water bottle, keys, headphones, and more.
- Bring multiple pairs of shoes: if you’ll be standing for a long time, changing your shoes throughout the weekend will be a great change of pace. Swap out your sneakers with slides, boots, or slippers.
- Bring a portable charger: outlets are scarce in the BJC! You’ll want to have a portable charger charged and ready to keep you connected all weekend long.
- Wear compression socks: these socks can help improve circulation and blood flow to keep your legs and feet feeling fresh.
- Clear out your storage space for photos: you’ll be taking a lot of photos and videos throughout the weekend, so make sure to delete those screenshots of your lecture slides before February 20!
- Bring a digital camera: what better way to capture your favorite THON memories than with everyone’s favorite form of photography? Make sure your camera is ready to work overtime during the weekend so you have plenty of pictures to show your kids one day!
- Eat nutritious food leading up to the weekend: prioritize eating protein, carbs, fiber, and lots of fresh, whole foods so that your body is in the best shape to support you.
- Cut out caffeine: it isn’t a good idea to rely on caffeine during THON Weekend. While you’ll feel energized for a little while, you’ll hit a pretty brutal caffeine crash that will be hard to bounce back from. Avoid caffeine leading up to the event to help train your body to a natural energy cycle.
- Get full nights of sleep leading up to the weekend: make sleep a priority ahead of the weekend! It can be helpful to set an alarm to remind you when to go to bed. Get those eight hours while you can!
- Dry your hair before entering the BJC: please do not show up to THON Weekend with wet hair; dancers don’t have ample access to showers, so knowing that people showered by seeing their wet hair can be viewed as disrespectful.
- Bring a mini water gun: these are a fun way to pass the time and add some friendly competition throughout the weekend. Plus, kids love playing with them! McLanahan’s downtown typically sells mini water guns ahead of the weekend.
- Take a lap around the concourse: if you find yourself getting tired or needing a change of scenery, take a walk around the concourse for a bit. Walking around can actually help your sore feet (and people-watching can help your brain!).
- Wear fun accessories: lean into the fun that THON brings! Get glitter, Four Diamonds temporary tattoos, and other accessories to wear your THON pride.
- Talk to one new person during the weekend: the THON community is incredibly welcoming, and the weekend gives you a ton of time to get to know someone. Whether you’re a new member standing with your sorority or want to learn more about a THON committee member’s job, make it a goal to connect with people during the weekend. They could end up being your best friend!
- Get to the BJC early to see Final Four: the final four hours of THON are the most popular time for people to go since they are the most exciting and emotional hours of the weekend, so if you want to catch the event, it is crucial that you get there far in advance to secure a spot in the stands.
- Bring travel-sized toiletries: buy and pack travel-sized deodorant, face wipes, hand sanitizer, and lip balm to have on hand and keep you feeling fresh.
- Look good, feel good: do what you need to do to feel your best! Whether that means curling your hair, putting on makeup, or wearing your favorite outfit, make sure you’re taking a moment to help yourself feel refreshed.
- Stay healthy leading up to the weekend: avoid large group gatherings if you can and stay away from friends that might be sick. If you don’t feel well on February 20, please don’t come to the BJC. There are many immunocompromised children and families at the event, and it’s important that we do our part to keep them safe.
- Bring dryer sheets: you can put dryer sheets in your clothes and bags to keep everything smelling fresh throughout the weekend. You’ll thank yourself later (and so will everyone around you!).
- Pack your clothes in labeled plastic zip bags: if you’re a THON Captain and are changing clothes throughout the weekend, pack each outfit in its own bag and label it with the date and time you’ll be wearing it to keep yourself organized and avoid the stress of searching for your clothes.
- Label everything: use permanent markers, tape, or stickers to label everything you have with your name and phone number in case your belongings get lost.
- Change your socks consistently: foot hygiene is important! You don’t want your feet smelling or getting too sweaty, so make it a point to change your socks. Set reminders if you need to!
- Learn the line dance: the line dance is performed throughout the weekend and is a hit with everyone in attendance. Learn the line dance and participate every time it occurs so you can join in on the fun!
- Have a playlist: sometimes you need a little extra motivation, so create a playlist before the weekend with songs to keep you going and that reminds you why you support the cause.
- Go to the sensory room: if you’re feeling overstimulated, take a break in the sensory room that has calming light elements, fidget toys, and other items that can be useful for soothing and stimming.
- Tell your friends and family to watch 46Live: all 46 hours of the weekend are livestreamed! If your loved ones can’t attend the event in-person, encourage them to check out https://thon.org/thon-events/livestream/ to catch all the action. They might even be able to spot you on the livestream!
- Tag THON in your social media posts: we want to see your pictures from the weekend! Be sure to tag @pennstatethon on your Instagram stories and posts.
- Read a family story: in those moments when you’re feeling unmotivated, read a THON News family story to give yourself a boost of inspiration and remember the impact you’re creating.
- Participate in the theme hours: the theme hours are an exciting and interactive chance to stay engaged and upbeat. Bring your spirit and costumes to take full advantage of the themed hours listed below:
Y2K: Saturday, 7:30-9:30 am
Hollywood: Saturday, 11:55 am-1:25 pm
Beach: Saturday, 4:50-6:15 pm
Wild West: Sunday, 4:35-6:05 am
- Boost donations throughout the weekend: donations are accepted through Sunday, so text or call your family and friends throughout the weekend to give them a final push to contribute to this year’s fundraising total.
- Make it a goal to attend the weekend’s big events: while the entire weekend is incredible, the highlights include the National Act on Friday night, the Pep Rally on Saturday night, and Final Four on Sunday. You especially won’twant to miss these events!
- Bring the energy throughout the weekend: everyone, especially THON dancers, feeds off the energy of those around them. Be positive, keep your head up, and smile! Our goal as a THON community is to lift each other up through the weekend.
- Remember why you THON: most importantly, never forget the reason you’re standing. Your dedication is making a tremendous impact on the battle against childhood cancer. When things get difficult during the weekend, remember that there is a child sitting in a hospital bed battling cancer who would give anything to be in your shoes; keep going for them. Because of people like you, we will dance in celebration of a cure one day.
You have worked so hard to fight childhood cancer this year, and THON Weekend is the culmination of all that hard work. The THON community is behind you at every hour, every line dance, and every step of the way. Remember your “why” and know that you have thousands of people cheering you on!
