A cold day in Krzyzewskiville

Camping out for men's basketball games has long been part of the Spring semester experience for Duke students. At my undergrad alma mater, Harvey Mudd, we also camped out--but it was for a good spot in the line to register for next year's courses. At the joint Math meetings this year, I learned that has ended at HMC, now they just randomly assign an order to everyone.

In any even, being a lot smaller (and I have to say somewhat more practical) than Duke, the HMC campouts were always mostly indoors. Last night the temperature hit the mid teen's overnight in Durham, and are likely to do so again tonight. The tents pictured below typically are chock full of electrical devices (although I don't know if heaters are allowed given they are in tents). Still there will be a round of freezing students every time this happens. But I wish them luck.

After all, there's a certain joy to be found in pitting yourself against the elements (even North Carolina style elements rather than say Minnesota.) There's no need to over think things--you're out there trying to get your goal through sheer defiance of what the world is throwing at you. College is all about creativity, organization, and multitasking. Camping out is about none of that: just sitting in one spot for long periods of time, and can be a welcome change indeed.



Of course, I'm not teaching any undergrads this semester, so I don't have to encounter the whooping cough ward in person that always results from cold weather. Oh well, if it was easy, everyone would do it.