This past weekend was Penn State's annual 46-hour dance marathon also known as Thon. Being a freshman, this was my first time attending Thon. I joined a sorority this semester so I got to experience Thon with my sisters as well as our fraternity partner.
Friday, February 16th, the best weekend of my life began. Many of us waited in long lines for hours in the freezing cold to make sure we claimed our sections at Thon in the BJC where we would spend the next 46 hours cheering on our amazing dancers and enjoying all that Thon has to offer.
The minute I entered the BJC, it was crazy. There were people everywhere running around trying to make sure they got their sections. Once I got to the area where my section was, I realized that something amazing was beginning. Once everyone finally entered the BJC and THON officially began and everyone stood up for the first time for the next 46 hours, I looked around at all of the people in the stands cheering and I was in awe.
Thon was in full swing and every minute something was going on whether it be a musical performance, a skit, or learning the line dance.
The line dance is something at Thon that is done every hour to get everyone moving and stretching. This year's line dance was so fun and it got me excited every time I heard "dancer relations captains to the stage." Even at my lowest points when I was beyond tired and was ready to give up, I immediately got myself up and did the full five-minute dance with full enthusiasm and right after I was back to being super energetic and ready to keep on dancing!
The pep rally. WOW. It was SO fun and the BJC reached max capacity for this part of Thon on Friday night. All of the athletic teams had dance performances that were so funny and entertaining and it really got everyone pumped and excited for the long hours following that night.
One thing I learned during Thon weekend is that time doesn't exist. People rarely know what time it is. In all honesty, you don't want to know because it makes time go so slow. With no one knowing the time, you will see people eating any type of food.
The best part and most emotional by far was the final four. Again, the BJC is at max capacity. These are the final four hours of Thon where they have the four diamond families speak about their children and experiences.
They also show a slideshow of all the kids who beat cancer and how long they have been off treatment and it really shows you what an impact you are making being apart of Thon because your fundraising efforts helped the hospital and families pay for treatments that these kids really needed to beat cancer!
After that slideshow, they show one of all the children whose lives were sadly taken from this horrible disease and that is just the most emotional part of Thon. In the same sense as the happy video, it proves to you once again why we Thon. We Thon so that hopefully we discover a cure one day to stop adding to the slideshow of lost battles.
After this emotional time, the last hour of Thon is some kind of concert to get everyone pumped up. Go-Go Gadget performed and it was AMAZING. They got the entire BJC hyped and ready to conquer this last hour of THON.
Right at the end of Thon, they go through all of the totals raised by different Greek organizations, branch campuses, and clubs before revealing the final total. I am happy to say that my sorority and fraternity partner where the third highest total for Greek organizations which was beyond amazing and I am so grateful to have contributed to that total.
Thon 2018 raised a total of $10,151,663.93! Surely making everyone proud to be a Penn Stater, including myself. May it serve as a reminder that it is always For The Kids.
