With the rest of my group occupied for most of Friday, I was stuck with the first major shift in Boeheimburg.

Nine a.m. to 4 p.m. Only one break for a class.

The temperature warmed throughout the day, however, making the tail end of my shift difficult only for a lack of food.

Before heading back for the night shift, I made sure I was dressed appropriately. Three pairs of socks, three pants, two shirts, a sweatshirt, two down jackets on top, two pairs of gloves, a scarf and a beanie. No, I couldn’t move my arms.

I arrived at the Carrier Dome around 8:30 p.m., mostly prepared for the elements but not quite ready for the amount of time I was about to spend in the same five layers of clothing.

As I sat in my sleeping bag watching a movie, I noticed a rather confused looking deliveryman saunter down the steps of Gate E. He looked around before shouting the name of the person he was looking for, who came out of nowhere.

The deliveryman grilled his customer with questions, from the simple, “Why?” to the obvious, “How cold is it?” When properly satisfied, the deliveryman awarded the man his pizza and turned to leave after whipping out his phone to take a picture of the campsite.

Some people entertained themselves with “snow pong” right next to the Dome, and joked with a Department of Public Safety officer who came down to check on us. Others listened to music and minded their own business, but the area quieted down pretty early for a Friday night.

I found it surprisingly easy to fall asleep in the sub-freezing temperatures. I was fairly comfortable lying on a mattress pad under a sleeping bag and three blankets, and I awoke only once from being too cold.

In the morning, the tenants of Boeheimburg were awoken by a role call to ensure we were all still manning our tents. Afterward, we were ushered into the Dome to watch Lacrosse scrimmages, allowing us a break from the cold.

I was finally relieved at noon after 15 long hours outside. I’m definitely enjoying this experience, but also very glad to be sleeping in a bed tonight.

Published on January 25, 2014 at 5:22 pm