So You've Never Really Camped Before?

Fieldcon sounds like a blast. A bunch of otaku together in the middle of nowhere, being themselves and having fun. But how does one survive without the basic essentials of such things as hot water and electricity? It's actually easier than you'd think.

First, think of your basic essentials. What do you truly need to survive? This includes such things as shelter, clothing, and food. This does not include your Nintendo DS. Here's a list of common camping supplies that everyone should bring:

• Tent - Unless you plan on staying with someone else, you will probably need a home-away-from-home.
• Sleeping Bag & Pillow - Summer nights are still cold. We also recommend a ground pad for the sleeping bag, as what seems like a small pebble when your setting up your tent in the morning will keep you up all night.
• Water - Either bring gallon jugs, or if you plan on using what nature provides, bring purification tablets. We'll have purification means as well, but not a place to store it, so if nothing else bring a few water bottles. There is also a spiggot on-site, but we have no idea where that water is coming from, so purification is definitely a GOOD IDEA.
• Food - You still have to eat. Remember that there won't be an oven or microwave anywhere nearby. Hot dogs good; hot pockets bad. Ramen and a pot are very good.
• Clothing - It may come as a surprise, but the outdoors tends to be dirty. Try to pack comfortable clothes that you can move in and you wont care if they get messy. Shoes are also really important. Good tennis shoes or hiking boots are your best bet.
• Water bottle or canteen - Unless you feel like running back to your tent every half-hour, carry one.
• Flashlight and extra batteries - Where there aren't streetlights, it actually gets dark at night.
• Bug Spray - Seriously and literally, bugs suck. Go all out and buy Off! Deep Woods, don't be lame about this.
• First Aid Kit - Don't let a small injury kill the event for you. Bring along band-aids, hydrogen peroxide, gauze, athletic tape, Neosporin, and anything else that would belong. If you are allergic to bees and wasps, triple-check that you've packed your sting kit. If you are allergic to anime, get the hells out!
• Sunscreen - The sun will burn. Especially the virgin flesh of an otaku that rarely sees the light of sol, giver of life. Bring sunscreen; your feeble goth-loli umbrellas won't save you.
• Purell - Clean your hands before eating. When you don't have water, this stuff is perfect.
• Toiletries - Toothbrush, deodorant, soap, etc. If nothing else have some mouthwash, and that is for your sake as much as anyone else's! It's usually a cool idea to bring an extra water bottle so you can brush your teeth and wash your hands.
• Towels - Make sure you know where your towel is, never know what it could come in handy for.
• Plastic Bags - A few garbage bags and such are nice incase things rain to keep your stuff dry, or to put muddy things into, or for trash or just whatever.

Those are probably the basic essentials for any camping trip. An overly extensive list of stuff that could be useful can be found at the following link: http://www.camping-usa.com/checklist.html

Remember to pack light for convenience. Tents tend to be small as it is, and unless you want to be running to your car every time you need something, it'd be a good idea to bring as little as necessary.

A note to the Adults: For those of you who will be partaking in "adult beverages" for some of, if not all of the weekend: Something we have discovered is that being outside in the sun all day without a reliable source of water is dehydrating. This means that you will get drunk a lot faster than you realize. Be sure to drink a lot of water all day, especially while drinking, and keep an extra eye on how you're doing. History has shown that if you pass out in your own vomit we just leave you there all night.

Note for cosplayers: First of all, a single cosplay for the weekend is probably fine. Don't overdo it. Secondly, make sure your cosplay isn't going to kill you. This is the outdoors. There is no climate control. It's hot during the day and cold during the night. Make sure the character you're attempting is going to work well in any condition. Yuffie would probably be fine; Alphonse would not.

If you're going to be one of those people who has to bathe, you're going to have to figure it out on your own. As the campsite is a very open area, there is nowhere to be private. There is a lake, but it is murky, questionable, and will probably make you dirtier than you are now.

For eating, don't be stupid, there is no reason for you to go hungry because you fail at cooking. Bring a cooler, at the very least, and pack it with soda, water, and some cold cuts, and make yourself a sandwich.

For other fun things to cook, check out this site: http://www.camprecipes.com/