“From the crowd, to the floor, 46 for the cure. WOO!” has been replaying in my head all day long. February 22, 2010, was a normal Monday for many; one like any other. But to Penn State students, it was the end of an exhaustive, sleepless, and totally “worth it” weekend. For forty-six hours—starting Friday at 6:00 p.m. and ending Sunday at 4:00 p.m.—Penn State showed that it is number one for more than partying and number one for more than its student section in the football stadium. That weekend, we raised $7.8 million for the kids, making us the number one student-run philanthropy project in the world. THON 2010 is over, and all I can think about is THON 2011.About the Author
I chose to work on a THON committee this year. I knew very little about THON, but I knew it was something that I didn't want to miss. I was assigned to the Rules and Regulations Committee, aka Security. The shifts during THON weekend were long, and I only slept for six hours the whole weekend, but it was an awesome experience. Our first shift took place on the floor with the dancers, and we saw them stand up at 6:00 p.m. on the dot. As the weekend progressed, we saw what the dancers have to go through. By Saturday night, a lot of dancers started to break, but they were not about to give up. This is when the Moralers came into play. Each dancer was assigned a Moraler, a student who is essentially responsible for a person throughout THON weekend. The Moraler is meant to keep the dancer moving and motivated to stay awake and on his or her feet for all forty-six hours. Being on the Rules and Regs Committee, I saw the parts everyone played in THON. I saw the OPP committees clean up all weekend, I saw the PR and Merchandise committees pushing booklet and clothing sales up to the last minute when Finance counted the total. The Entertainment committee videotaped all the memorable moments to include in videos that will promote THONs to come. Not to mention the members of fraternities, sororities, and organizations who stood on their feet in the stands all weekend long to support the dancers. It is amazing how many students are involved in THON every year and how smoothly organizers have learned to run it.
Although my body took a beating (I slept for sixteen hours after falling asleep Sunday night), it was all worth it and I cannot wait for next year. I think Penn State has a lot to be proud of, from its broad variety of curricula, its many opportunities and resources, and its extensive list of majors. However, THON is something incomparable to anything else Penn State has to offer. Each year, students spend months taking the time to prepare for this weekend; and for forty-six marathon hours every February, we are dancing for the kids, and we are fighting for their families. We are one school searching for one common goal—a cure; and for that, I am proud to call myself a Penn Stater.
Taryn
Published in The Mentor on March 5, 2010, by Penn State's Division of Undergraduate Studies
Available online at dus.psu.edu/mentor
Privacy and Legal Statements | Copyright | © The Pennsylvania State University | All rights reserved