Camping Basics
Bring a tent.
That's pretty obvious, right? Well, it should be. Paternoville is about camping, after all. But a tent is not all you'll need.
First and foremost is having enough people in your group so that you can set up rotations for who is out at the stadium at what times. The PCC does NOT promote missing classes and other responsibilities in order to camp out. Some groups can manage with as little as two people, with one person at class while the other is at the stadium, and then switching off so that the second can go to class.
Of equal importance, you need to be prepared for the weather. It is highly recommended that you invest in tarps before beginning an adventure at Paternoville. If rainy weather strikes, you do not want a soaked tent. Usually two "Medium" tarps (12x10, or about that, depending on the size of your tent) are sufficient to cover a tent and protect the bottom. Buy more if you're unsure.
Another weather foe for campers is wind. Wind will rip tarps off of your tent and can even send your tent cart-wheeling away if there is not enough weight to hold it down. Investing in small-guage rope is a good idea. Tie the top and bottom tarps to each other so that they cannot be ripped off of the tent and then tie the tent down to something, such as one of the nearby trees that dot the surface in front of Gate A. However, try to avoid making a tripping hazard for your fellow Paternovillers. Especially at night, it is very difficult to see the ropes all about. Usually a heavy bookbag or other item is enough to keep a tent in place when a person is not inside. You don't want your tent ending up like this one:
The owners of that tent were not prepared.
If you are tasked with being the "night shift" for your group, bring warm clothes! After September, the temperatures drop deeply every night near the stadium. If you have to sleep out for the night, make sure you have at least some sweats and a blanket if you don't have a good sleeping bag (which the PCC highly recommends you get). You don't want to freeze or get sick before the game!
Next, bring some food and drink items. While it is true that often local businesses will drop by and donate food and sometimes drinks, it is not a guarantee that they will come when you are at the tent. It is a long walk to the nearest store on campus (and your group probably wouldn't appreciate you abandoning your post), so come prepared with at least some water and a snack while you're watching the tent for your group. Also, you can order food to Gate A. Almost all local food places with delivery will deliver to "Gate A" of Beaver Stadium.
A regular at Paternoville, Clem's BBQ.
Of course, bring something to do. It can get pretty boring at Gate A depending on the time of day. As evening approaches, things start to pick up and more people are around so games of pick-up football and conversations start popping up. During the day, things can be quite dead. Bring a book, bring some homework, bring a personal music player, bring anything to keep yourself occupied.
A good thing to bring is some autograph materials, too. You never know who might show up...
Tom, former PCC President, gets Joe Pa's autograph during the
Michigan '06 campout.
(Click for full-size)
Finally, have fun. Paternoville is all about having fun and getting those great seats to watch our team win another game! The Paternoville Coordination Committee hopes you have a great experience at Gate A. And remember,