As crazy as it is to believe, a week and a half from now, the BJC will be filled to capacity again with 15,000 crazy students, dancers, Four Diamonds families and various other spectators to celebrate the best weekend of the year: the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon! With THON quickly approaching, here is the list of the top 15 essentials to successfully make it through the weekend!

15. Beach balls and blow up animals. If you are going to be standing in the BJC for hours on end, you might as well make it fun! Having things to do in the stands can really help take your mind off the time and make the weekend seem like it’s flying by. So grab a beach ball and get ready to get super competitive with your stand-mates when it comes your direction!

14. Hair and head accessories. Whether it is organization or committee hats, bows, hot loops, sweatbands, visors, scrunchies or anything else you can think of, having some bright and festive head attire is the perfect way to add a fun or cute touch to your outfit on THON weekend! Bonus: all of the above help to keep your hair off your face and neck, helping you keep cool, as the BJC reaches what feels like seemingly 100 degree tempertures.

13. Chapstick. The BJC gets really hot and really dry. Save yourself the additional pain of chapped lips and stick some Chapstick in your bag to combat the dryness!

12. Ibuprofen. You know how sore your feet and legs get after just standing in the stadium for three hours at a football game? Now imagine multiplying that time while also adding jumping and dancing to the mix. Trust me, your feet are going to ache, your muscles are going to be sore and you are probably going to get cramps or have a headache at some point due to fatigue. Ibuprofen is going to be your absolute BFF during the weekend -- just remember to follow the prescribed dosages whilst in your delirium!

11. Feminine hygiene products and baby powder. The only thing worse than having your period during THON is getting your period during THON and not being prepared! When your body is so fatigued and exhausted, your monthly gift can sometimes decide to come ahead of schedule, so it is always better to be safe than sorry! The closest thing to a male equivalent is not having baby powder with you to prevent any uncomfortable between-the-leg situations throughout the weekend. Seriously, chafing is not fun for anyone, no matter how tough and manly you are.

10. Portable phone charger. With over 15,000 people in the BJC for the majority of the weekend, you can imagine the nightmare that cell reception can be with everyone’s phones constantly searching for service. Most of the time, committees and organizations rely on text-based systems to communicate with each other throughout the weekend, so having a working phone is pretty essential to ensure you don’t miss something important. Portable chargers are a relatively cheap and easy way to keep your phone alive and ready for the weekend, or if you feel like splurging, Mophie has a line of phone cases with built in chargers to make your battery last anywhere from 80 percent to 120 percent longer than its regular charge. Also, if you are planning to just bring your regular charger and find an outlet, wall-plug chargers are strictly prohibited in the BJC during THON weekend. This year it is grounds for removal if they catch you using an outlet, so portable chargers really are a necessity!

9. Fanny pack. Not only is a fanny pack probably the most convenient storage container you could have at THON, but it is also a fun way to add some flair to your outfits for the weekend! Think about it -- you can fit your phone, charger, Chapstick, snacks, money, etc., and all of those things are right there with you whenever you want them throughout the weekend. Bonus: most organizations sell customized fanny packs for the weekend, but if not, they are super easy to find online in just about any color or pattern you could want!

8. Deodorant. Back to the idea that the BJC gets absurdly hot at times throughout the weekend: you will sweat. A lot. You will also be smushed in a row with a ton of other people, who will more than likely also be sweating a lot. Moral of the story: nobody wants to be stuck in a section next to someone who reeks of B.O., so don’t be that guy and remember to bring deodorant -- and use it. 

7. Makeup wipes, wet wipes and dry shampoo. You will probably get a chance to shower once during the weekend whenever you go home to sleep, but that is all you’re gonna get. However, you can still bring some mobile shower items with you to freshen up when you’re starting to feel pretty rank. Makeup wipes or Wet Ones are a life saver for getting rid of any dirt or sweat from your face and body, and dry shampoo can help refresh your hair by soaking up and excess oils as well as adding some body!

6. Comfortable sneakers, change of shoes. You are going to be on your feet for over 20 hours, so having a great pair of sneakers can really make or break you. However, no matter how comfortable your sneakers are, bringing a different pair or even a different type of shoe to alternate throughout the weekend can really help to distribute the stress put on your feet and reduce the inevitable aching.

5. Tennis balls. An additional way to help reduce the aching even more is to bring tennis balls to roll under your feet. It feels like a mini-massage, and it really helps to remove the tension that has built up in the balls, arches and heels of your feet. No matter how silly it may sound, they are one of the most important things to bring to help keep your feet in commission for the weekend!

4. Extra socks, preferably bright, knee highs. You know how funky and uncomfortable it feels when you accidentally step in a puddle and then have to walk around with damp socks for the rest of the day? Yeah, not a pleasant time. Your feet are not immune to the sweatiness at THON, so packing a few pairs of extra socks to change into throughout the weekend can make the time on your feet much more comfortable! Extra points if you coordinate them with your outfit or they have fun patterns!

3. Snacks, money. One of the most common reasons people struggle so much to make it to the end of THON is forgetting to eat; It is easy to get distracted by all the fun things going on around you, and I know that once you start to get delirious it is easy to forget when you last ate, but making sure that you get enough calories is absolutely crucial! If you think you might have trouble remembering, find a food buddy for the weekend and periodically check in with each other to make sure you don’t accidentally skip a snack or meal! Also, if you have a meal plan, spending $50 on BJC food might not be a big deal, but to us old and poor upperclassmen, bringing healthy snacks with you will make both the monetary and physical stress of the weekend less of a burden!

2. Water bottle. You cannot bring water into the BJC, but you are definitely going to need a lot of it to make sure you stay hydrated throughout the weekend! Unless you want to spend $4 on a new bottle every time you need a refill, bringing an empty, filtering water bottle with you will be your saving grace! There are plenty of water fountains around the BJC to fill up. 

1. Supportive stand mates. Above all else, THON is a weekend that emphasizes unity and bonding. Everyone has been working together throughout the year to support this cause, and this is the weekend where it all finally culminates. Having welcoming and supportive people by your side, as well as friends -- new or old -- who encourage you even at your lowest points, is the best way to ensure that your THON experience will be one that you’ll truly never forget!

Whether this is your first, last, or just one of many THONs to come, keep this list in mind to ensure that this THON weekend is truly one for the memory books!