Oh! And also!

[anastasiav]

Ivan's brother Jeff (or, I guess, Geoffrey) is coming to his first Pennsic this year and staying for five days. He got involved in the SCA mostly because of fencing and currently has exactly one set of garb. We're also hoping that perhaps he'll be able to meet a nice, annonomous, not-crazy girl at Pennsic.

We'll be providing his tent, and his food, but we tried yesterday to make him a list of other stuff he might need for a five day stay at Pennsic.

What are your standard suggestions for very-new people for their first Pennsic? What wisdom of yours (packing list related or general) can we share with him?

Comments

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

Take care of your feet (great shoes), take care of your skin (sunscreen). You can't do everything, so give up and get some sleep and a decent meal. :-)

As for "a nice, annonomous, not-crazy girl at Pennsic", dibs first. :-)

[cellio]

What goldsquare said. Also:

Pennsic might be very hot, very cold, very dry, and very wet, perhaps all in a single day. Plan for contingencies.

Natural fibers are better than polyester. Wool keeps you warm in the cold and wet, and linen keeps you cool in the heat.

Try to do something new. Pennsic is a great way to explore new activities -- classes, dancing, playing music, archery, whatever. Yeah, sometimes you need equipment, though sometimes there's loaner stuff available.

Pennsic is big and spiffy; you'll see lots of stuff there you'll never see elsewhere. Try to make one circuit of the entire camp. You don't have to do it all at once, and there are haywagons to help.

Caffeine and alcohol dehydrate. That doesn't mean don't drink them, but it does mean to make sure you drink plenty of water to compensate.

I assume if you're providing his tent and food then he's camping with you, so he won't be off on his own. Having a group you can lean on and ask advice of is important for a newcomer, I think.

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

See? cellio also thinks I should get the girl. What a great friend! :-)

[cellio]

Sure thing! You've been waiting a while and it would really help you be happy.

But I'm also betting that Pennsic can provide more than one available non-crazy girl. :-)

[evilnicola.livejournal.com]

Some sort of bed off the ground. Less heat loss that way.

More blankets than he thinks he'll need. Again, less heat loss.

Extra tips for his blades, extra tip tape, steel wool for cleaning rusty blades.

Drink Pennsic chocolate milk.

Take at least one ride on each hay wagon and the bus. They are great ways to see most of Pennsic without much walking

Take at least one class on a topic you know nothing about.

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

But I'm also betting that Pennsic can provide more than one available non-crazy girl. :-)

::puzzled expression:: You been to Pennsic before, right? :-)

[msmemory.livejournal.com]

For most people, I recommend Bart's Pennsic Thingie, which is still wise despite its age. Since Geoffrey has you and Ivan to escort him, it's not as vital for him.

[new-man.livejournal.com]

Take $100 in cash, a credit card, a clean set of modern clothing and put them all in a gallon ziploc bag. Now put that inside another gallon ziploc bag. When your tent floods and all your garb is soaked, you'll have clothing and money.

Ride the haywagon. It's a great, low-stress way to see parts of Pennsic no one knows exist. Bring a camera and take pictures of architectural wonders, clever wall paintings, and women who don't realize their shower stall is on the bus route.

Learn something new every day. Take a class, help cook a meal, whatever it is, but learn something new every day.

Don't buy a doumbek, or -- if you must -- put it away until you've learned to play it.

Go see i Sebastiani, open ceremonies, and the first field battle.

[anastasiav.livejournal.com]

Go see i Sebastiani

*laughing* - you Know, I've seen i Sabastiani dozens of times, and even had the pleasure of experiencing i Sabastiani Radio Theatre in camp one year, but somehow I've never managed to see a show at Pennsic. The public show is always a mob scene and we're not important enough to get to go to the ICOD show.

Maybe one day I'll be rich and we'll have a bigger camp and we'll book you for ourselves. :-)

[new-man.livejournal.com]

There is no ICOD show this year. Don't you have a servant you can have save you seats? The Pennsic shows are consistently amongst our best.

[anastasiav.livejournal.com]

If I had a servant would I be cooking my own meals over an open fire? Life on campaign is rough when you've been taken along as a camp follwer by the Rus....

[new-man.livejournal.com]

If I had a servant would I be cooking my own meals over an open fire?

Um... yes? You like doing it.

Life on campaign is rough when you've been taken along as a camp follwer by the Rus....

CLearly you've been following the wrong Rus. We have a camp drudge. Come up and see me some time.

oh god. i'm a dead man. ivan will kill me.

[cat9.livejournal.com]

Regardless of one's garb choices, I cannot recommend highly enough bringing a large square of wool that can be used as a warm blanket, rain coat, cloak, seat, etc. during one's travels at Pennsic.

Despite the fact y'all have excellent food available in Camp, I would advocate eating dinner in the food court a couple of times. There's no better people-watching space in the world, and the fruity cobblers are a significant chunk of why I love Pennsic.

And about that garb issue...we all pack for two weeks, and then end up wearing the same three outfits the whole time because for some reason they're perfect this year. He should plan on buying a tunic in the market area that he likes, and then accidentally end up wearing it far more than he should...

[artisticphoenix.livejournal.com]

He should bring at least one "comfort" thing. Something that he won't want to go looking up and down the camp for, borrowing or begging from someone else, but something that he can put his hands on the moment he needs it. For some people it is their own personal box of favorite pop tarts, a worn out but servicable(preferably wool) personal blanket, or the personal first aid kit. I really like having my own first aid kit that has the things that I really want (like tums, bandaides, ointment, sun lotion, etc.)

[lakshmi-amman.livejournal.com]

Don't take things that can't be destroyed to Pennsic. Whether it is weather, misuse, theft or just misplacement - things can get trashed at Pennsic.

Pretest your shoes - wear any shoes you plan to wear at Pennsic, around town for at least a couple days, at least a week before you leave. You'll break in the shoes, your feet, and determine if the shoes are absolutly unwearable. I've saved myself a number of Pennsic blisters that way.

And... pretty much what everyone else said.

Except... there are non-crazy girls at Pennsic?? Where?

[ulf-rulz.livejournal.com]

Anonymous non-crazy Pennsic girl?

I suggest a cushy tent, an off-the-ground bed & some good ol' Microthin Kimonos.

[anastasiav.livejournal.com]

we all pack for two weeks, and then end up wearing the same three outfits the whole time because for some reason they're perfect this year

This is why you're a genius.

[anastasiav.livejournal.com]

*shrug*

I've hardly ever met any that weren't already taken, but rumor has it they do exist.

[imithe.livejournal.com]

My first Pensic, what saved me was a means of escape. I love the SCA, but Pensic is overwhelming to the point of being almost scary sometimes. With so much to do, and so many distractions. I brought one of my favorite books with me, and made a point of spending at least a little time each day alone with it.

People watching is an underrated activity.


Those are the only two things I can think of that others haven't said, except that I met several anonymous non crazy girls there. It probably helps that I wasn't looking. :)

[cat9.livejournal.com]

See? This "but I only want to wear the green dress this year" tendency is universal...