After 40 hours, the dancers are preparing to enter the final stretch of the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (Thon). The dance floor is once again full of kids running around, playing catch and soaking everyone they meet with water from their tiny squirt guns.

Some dancers said they are tired and looking forward to the last four hours of intense energy. Jolene Mariotti (senior–biology), who is dancing for her fraternity, Kappa Theta Epsilon, said even though it feels like she’s been dancing forever, doing the line dance and listening to energetic music has kept her awake. She said that she has had some weird moments, where she has been very tired and confused.

"It comes and goes," she said.

Also on the dance floor are Mike and Jan McDonnell. They came to show support for their daughter Erin (junior–secondary education). Jan explained that Thon is one of the most important events of the year for their family.

"Erin got involved as a freshman and this year she was just bound and determined to dance," McDonnell said.

The McDonnells have already been here for most of the weekend and plan to stay right up until the last moments.

So far, they said their favorite part of this experience has been the karaoke hour, a time when Thon children took the stage to showcase their singing talents.

Janet Reynolds also came to support her dancing daughter, Sarah Reynolds (senior–public relations).

"It took us ten hours to get here because Route 80 was closed," she said. "We took every back road through every mining town in Pennsylvania, but we made it, and it was absolutely worth it."

Reynolds said her daughter is doing okay except for a tendency to "space out every now and then." She said she is proud of the effort her daughter put forward in order to participate in Thon this year.

"She was zealous and unrelenting," Reynolds said of her daughter. "She did whatever it took to get here today and we are so proud of her."