UNIVERSITY PARK -- Despite battling the elements Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, the more than 600 people in more than 70 tents at Nittanyville in Happy Valley are still happy campers, not letting a little rain put a damper on one of Penn State football’s greatest traditions.
"We could hear it a lot, but we've been staying dry, staying warm,” said Jenn Gallo, a Penn State senior.
"The first night we had a leak in our tent so we had to use a couple of sweatshirts to clog it up. But we've figured it out now, so we're going to be dry for the rest of the week, hopefully,” said Addison Carson, a freshman.
Some might consider sleeping outside a football stadium for five days a bit too much. Residents of Nittanyville say, however, it’s what Penn State is all about.
"They're probably a little right. It is a little crazy, but it's also a blast. It's a lot of fun,” said Brian Mastro, a senior.
"I wouldn't call it crazy. I would call it hardcore dedication," said junior Abigail Sales.
The president of Nittanyville says the experience is meant to bring everyone together.
"The people you meet up here are unbelievable. Yes, everybody is here for football, but the pride this university has and the loyalty, you just meet so many incredible people, and you really get to take that with you," said the president, Sara Butcher.
Nittanyville has a diverse population of freshmen through seniors. Some are experiencing it for the first time, while others may be doing it for the last time before graduation.
"I went to a branch campus last year, so I transferred up here,” said Sales. “I had seen what Nittanyville does and everything, and I was really interested to try it. It's definitely a bucket list thing for me."
"It's my first time doing Nittanyville,” said Carson. “So far it's great, had beautiful weather, all the people here are great."
"It's something that I hadn't done and I'm a senior, so I figured it would be a good time to do it," added Zach Straefer.
But what about keeping up with school work? Don’t worry mom and dad – they’re still going to class.
"I have done some work out here, and campus is still right there, so we can still go to class - do the work,” said Mastro.
This weekend's game against No. 2-ranked Ohio State is set to kick off at Beaver Stadium on Saturday night at 8 o'clock.
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