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On Packing, Preparation, Peanut Butter, and Pickles

by Nick Johnson

As a team, travelling to competitions is a necessity. We can only host so many, and getting qualified for USA Dance National Championships is a priority for one or two couples. (Actually 10 partnerships!) Being college students, there is a tendency for packing to happen the day or night before an early departure bus ride, and I know I've forgotten little details. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for a bus ride and an away competition.

First: Dance Clothes! Get these prepared first, as they might have the most direct effect on your mental preparedness. Everyone will have a garment bag, so don't worry about it getting crumpled, they'll just get stacked. If you have time at the hotel, most will have an iron in the room, or you can ask for one at the desk, and it's amazing how different one feels dancing in a wrinkly shirt vs. a smooth one, especially in standard! I'd argue that if you're going to bring spares of anything to bring spare socks. After a lunch break or an especially involved session, taking off one's shoes and socks during a break between styles can be incredibly refreshing.

Second (and my favorite): Food! Packing for a trip without access to a cooler/refrigeration can be dicey, and I've given myself mild food poisoning several times because of that barbeque pulled chicken sandwich on the kitchen counter that was so appealing and delicious after changing out of a white shirt. But I warn you, don't do it. There are options for protein that aren't as hazardous, so if you need to take something with you, eat perishables like meat and dairy on the bus, technically within four hours of being out of the fridge. Peanut, almond, and other nut butters are a great option for sandwiches, especially hummus which goes great with peppers and tomato, but watch the tzatziki. Chocolate covered nuts are highly endorsed by our coach, what with their excellent balance of protein, sugars, and even a touch of caffeine if the chocolate is dark enough. I tried taking pickles, which was a good choice because they're salty and crunchy without being too heavy, but not the tidiest because pickle juice will eat through thin plastic bags after two or three hours, and the announcement that one's pickle is leaking is rarely taken at face value. Additionally, I try to keep a stock of raisins, craisins, and other dried fruits for a quick sugar boost or something to balance out a salty item. Dried cherries are tart, but not unbearably so. Lastly, watch your fast food intake! Bloating is not a dancer's friend, and sodium rich fast food can easily swell up without sufficient water and activity, two things that are notoriously absent on long bus rides.

Third: Mental preparation! Bus rides are long, sometimes leave early in the morning, and are sometimes trying for attempting to sleep, study, socialize, or what have you. An entertainment tip is to assume there will be no wifi. Assume there will be no outlets. If there are outlets, it's a pleasant surprise. From my experience, the folks who want to talk and be social and potentially the loudest will gravitate towards the back of the bus, while studious, quiet, or generally less riotous types populate the front, with a gradient between the two, not a hard boundary. Getting up and walking at each rest stop is a good idea, and if you don't need to use the restroom after sitting for hours, you should be drinking more water. Take a good bottle that you can refill, but don't assume tap water is potable at every stop. To end this, some conversation starters that I've picked up and enjoy the results of: If you were a ___, what kind would you be? I like to fill the blank with ice cream, musical genre, baked good, tv show/movie, or you can get more specific with your audience, maybe Greco-roman mythological character, or atomic lattice structure. In general, if you're curious about your team members, this is a great time to get to know each other, but you may find out things that could potentially throw you off your dance game if it catches you off guard.

That's the extent of my tips for now, have fun and happy dancing!

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