Penn State football games are nothing short of iconic thanks to the thousands of fans in the student section. Standing triumphantly in the front rows of Beaver Stadium, are the faces of the Penn State students, whose energy embodies the essence of all fans. These students come from a town by the name of Nittanyville, and with this great power comes great responsibility.
Nittanyville is a makeshift tent-city outside Gate A of Beaver Stadium. The city comes alive before every Penn State football home game and consists of students dedicated to getting front row seats. Typically, Nittanyville begins the Wednesday before each home game, but for the first White Out game in two years against Auburn University on Saturday, Sept. 18, camping started as early as Sunday.
The students must be in groups of four to 10 people. At least one member of the group must be in the tent at all times to ensure that the coveted seats are well earned.
Despite the honest standards Nittanyville demands, the experience of camping out is in itself an unforgettable one. Nittanyville hosts concerts, guest speakers, pep rallies, the annual Trashcan Football Tournament and much more.
Visitors often express their confusion over Penn State’s unconventional tradition on social media as they speculate the behavior of fans.
So, now when you see the students on the jumbotron who look like they had just chased a gallon of Redbull with an espresso shot, you will know that what you are seeing is actually a passion, that not even seven days of camping outside could contain.
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