Things NOT to do at Big Blue Madness Campout

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640"] Brittney Macintosh | UK Athletics[/caption] With less than 12 hours until the official start of Big Blue Madness Campout, there are plenty of things you need to know before three days of calamity surrounds Memorial Coliseum.  There are official rules and guidelines, but you also need to know the unwritten rules in order to have a successful Big Blue Madness Campout. Disclaimer: I did not have a successful campout.  I did not leave with tickets Friday morning.  If anyone knows what not to do, it's this guy.  

Do NOT Forget the Essentials

You probably won't forget your tent and sleeping bag for a campout, but it's easy to forget the little things.  Trail mix, granola bars, chips, lawn chairs, toiletries, DEODORANT, clean clothes etc.  People never seem to forget their cooler, but personal hygiene should not go by the wayside on a warm September afternoon.

Do NOT Pitch Your Tent Illegally

Even if you're in there like swimwear every single year, the rules have changed.  No longer can you setup on the grassy knoll near MLK street.  Use the map below to figure out the best place possible. With less space than previous years, you don't want to show up late.  The street-crossing will occur at 5:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.

Do NOT Be Shy

Some might think the best part of campout is seeing the players and coaches, but they're wrong.  The best part of campout if being surrounded by hundreds of other diehard Kentucky basketball fans.  Don't let the opportunity go to waste.  Be friendly.  Offer your neighbor a beverage and exchange stories.

"Where were you when Aaron Harrison hit that shot?" "Which one?" "Exactly!"

Exchanges like that are the best.  Shared experience is what being a fan is all about.  You never know what you're gonna get, but I guarantee you it will be interesting.

Do NOT Geek

You don't want to be that guy.  By all means, bring a sharpie for your kids, take pictures with players and coaches, but keep your cool.  They're great basketball players, but people forget most of them are just teenagers, teenagers who are really, really good at basketball. Talk with them, maybe play some corn hole or throw a football around, but please do your best to keep it together.

Do NOT Have Too Much Fun Thursday Night

Thursday night is my Kryptonite.  The final night of the event never fails to end with a bang.  The trick is finding a balance between having fun, and not being able to find your tent.  You want to be somewhere in the middle.  If not, you could miss your control card, therefore miss your tickets.  Do not slide face first down this slippery Thursday night slope.  It can happen.  You've been warned.

Do NOT be 'Yellow Tent Guy'

The infamous Yellow Tent Guy from 2012 is proof that practice makes perfect.  You should know how to construct your tent before you make the run across the street.  It's not that difficult to understand. On a funny side note, Yellow Tent Guy actually spent some time writing for KSR.  You might remember  Monticello's Aaron Perkins from his days blogging about the Cats' kicks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-i3n4rIek0 Even though I've spent this entire post nagging like a great aunt, there's one important thing you can't forget: HAVE FUN.  Use the KSR Snapchat filter in all your selfies, enjoy the freebies from Coca-Cola and Papa John's, and enjoy every single second you're out there.  Big Blue Madness Campout is unlike anything else in the country; enjoy it as much as possible.