Fall 2000-It was a rainy Friday going into a very wet weekend, and I was in a tent in a muddy field on campus. I had exams coming up in an intense molecular neurobiology course the following Monday. I was new at Duke and just getting used to a school and a life very different from that at Caltech. So what the heck was I doing sitting in puddles all weekend?
Campout, of course! For those of you unfamiliar with the GPSC Basketball Ticket Campout, it is an annual event at which we prove our dedication to Duke basketball by "enduring" a weekend together on campus. Students check in Friday night and stay until Sunday morning, with unscheduled calls to check in throughout the weekend to ensure that no one slips away to get some uninterrupted sleep or take a shower. On Sunday morning, those who have been there throughout the weekend are entered into a lottery to win the opportunity to pay $150 for one of the 700 season passes to the men's basketball games.
Sounds like fun, right? Actually, it's a blast! When I camped out in 2000, I met new people and got to know some much better. (I won't go into how much better.) When the rain did clear up Saturday night, the party was terrific, with student bands, DJs and plenty of dancing and fun. The experience varies for everyone, from the grad students camping in tents to the law and business students living it up in RVs. Some spend the weekend playing drinking games, some get away for community service or athletic events and others just enjoy the many events that are planned for Campout, including contests, visits from men's and women's basketball coaches, tabling by Duke offices and DJs. This year, there's even a hotdog eating contest sponsored by Dining Services and a karaoke hour planned!
I should admit now that I almost didn't participate. I was never a sports fan, and if not for a college boyfriend who liked to watch the Bulls play on TV, I wouldn't know the first thing about basketball. At Caltech, I went to a few games, but only for the door prizes I was likely to win. As a first-year graduate student in 2000, overwhelmed by courses and trying to fit into a new life, I wasn't exactly excited about going to basketball games. Luckily, students in my department camped together every year and talked me into joining their group. Despite the cold and the fact that all of my study materials wound up soaked, I wouldn't give up the experiences I had that weekend.
Going to the games is also more fun than I expected. Even if you don't camp out, you can get into almost all of the games just after tip-off free with a student ID. You will never again have an opportunity to sit so close to the action for so little money. Standing in the student section shouting cheers and creative jeers, especially in a stadium like Cameron, is MUCH different than sitting with the season ticket-holders anyway. Just ask President Brodhead or the other administrators who stood in the graduate and professional student section last year. Not many paint their faces and jeer at the other team up in the paid seats (check out www.duke.edu/gpsc/bball/pictures.html).
This week, graduate and professional students can register for the 2005 GPSC Campout for tickets to the men's basketball games (at www.duke.edu/gpsc/bball.html if you haven't seen any of the many e-mails and flyers). This is an event that's not to be missed. If you don't want to camp, I hope you at least stop by Campout to get in on the fun. (And as long as you're there, don't forget to bring food for those of us stuck there! I'll be in a tent near the entrance.)
In addition to attending Campout and later the men's basketball games, I also hope you'll check out other athletic events on campus. I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't attend a football game until my fifth year at Duke, and now I know I missed out. The games are fun to watch, and the tailgating parties before the games are always interesting. One team that particularly deserves support is our women's basketball team, which has a terrific shot at a national championship this year. This year, with the creation of student sections, I expect that the cheers, the spirit, and the excitement of the men's games will spill over into the women's, which shouldn't be missed. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing the women play this season!
I hope I see you at Campout, men's and women's basketball games, and many other athletic events on campus this year!
Heather Dean is a graduate student in neurobiology. Her column runs every other Wednesday.
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