2nd year burner and 4 close friends looking for camp to join

[tzatziki]

Hey All!

My 4 friends and I are looking for a camp to call home this year. I know it's really late in the game right now; we were waiting for everyone to secure their own ticket, which we have now. During the general ticket sale, I swear, I pressed the green button about 2 seconds after it showed up on my screen, but STILL was not able to secure a ticket at the time! Just to tell you a little bit about ourselves, we are 4 guys, 1 girl, and all in our mid 20's, Most of us know each other from going to school together in Michigan. All of us live in the bay area, except for one who lives in NY.

I am the only one in the group who has been to burning man before. I went for the first time last year, and camped with the "Hapless Genies", a relatively small (~15 people) camp at 9:30 and A. It was the most incredible experience of my entire life. I told close friends of mine who have never been to BM before about the amazing experiences I had, and now they want to join me this year! I would love to join the Genies again, but they are not looking to grow by that many people, and it’s important for me to share this experience again with my friends who have never been. We'd love to join a fun young camp, and help out in any way we can. Please let me know if you can fit us in, and what we need to do to apply, if it's not too late.

Thanks for your consideration,
Zach

[Captain Goddammit]

There's 5 of you. Why aren't YOU a camp?

[trilobyte]

Two things... First, +1 to what Captain Goddammit said. You've got a decent group, be your own camp!

Second, it's not really late in the game. Sure, we see more of the 'where do I camp' threads creeping in earlier and earlier these days - but the bulk of those don't usually come in til summer, when the partial list of theme camps for that year is published (and placement announcements follow soon after).

My advice is to get radically self reliant - go take a look at the camps who may be posting listings for new members on the board, or last year's partial list of registered camps to find one that your group might be interested in and then seek them out (web site, FB page, etc) and ask them if they're accepting new members. You may also want to connect with your regional group (if you aren't already) to see if there are any awesome camps in your area. Good luck in figuring it out!

[tzatziki]

Thanks!! Good to know that it's not too late. Last year, I didn't plan on going to BM until I was invited last minute (about a month before) by people I met once at a bar haha. Luckily it turned out great, but since I joined so late I wasn't really too involved in all the preparation work that went into building the camp, as a lot of the planning had been done earlier in the year. So I don't know if I'm comfortable enough in my expertise just yet to build my own camp. But with some more experience under my belt, in a few years, I'd totally be down to do that. I've joined a SF burners facebook page, so I'll keep an eye on that, and will definitely keep an eye out for the camps that post about openings. We took a look at the camp map from last year, and have contacted several camps, most of the time, we get no response, or they have strict policies about who they allow in their camps; either have to have a certain level of experience, live in the same city that the camp is based in, or have a reference from a current member in the camp. We will definitely keep trying though. Thanks a ton both of you!

[Captain Goddammit]

Just to be clear - are you saying you can't provide for yourselves and want to have someone else provide what you need?
Have you read the Survival Guide on the Burning Man website?

[tzatziki]

Nah, I know how to survive out there. There are many benefits of being part of a larger camp. Firstly and most importantly, I like meeting new people, and I think it would be more fun than just the 5 of us. Also, in the process I'm sure we'd get some ideas on how to build and run our camp if we ever choose to do so another year. It's also cheaper, splitting the cost of supplies between more people. Everything is cheaper in bulk.

[Jovankat]

If you're in the Bay Area there's a theme camp speed dating event coming up in about two weeks. It's organised by the East Bay Burner group I think.

[watchyourfeet]

Thanks!! Good to know that it's not too late. Last year, I didn't plan on going to BM until I was invited last minute (about a month before) by people I met once at a bar haha. Luckily it turned out great, but since I joined so late I wasn't really too involved in all the preparation work that went into building the camp, as a lot of the planning had been done earlier in the year. So I don't know if I'm comfortable enough in my expertise just yet to build my own camp. But with some more experience under my belt, in a few years, I'd totally be down to do that. I've joined a SF burners facebook page, so I'll keep an eye on that, and will definitely keep an eye out for the camps that post about openings. We took a look at the camp map from last year, and have contacted several camps, most of the time, we get no response, or they have strict policies about who they allow in their camps; either have to have a certain level of experience, live in the same city that the camp is based in, or have a reference from a current member in the camp. We will definitely keep trying though. Thanks a ton both of you!

You don't have to "build a camp" in the sense of making a theme camp. You just need some camping equipment, water, and a simple shade structure. Meeting people is never a problem out there and you will probably form a community with your neigbbors. Your virgins may thank you later for not tying them to a camp. Joining a camp undoubtedly shapes the experience, for better or worse.

Having a ton of experience is certainly not a prerequisite for being self sufficient. I built half of my 30-person camp my first year at Burning Man, even though most of the camp had been before.

[tzatziki]

@jovankat, tried looking into that, wasn't able to find any info. I'll keep digging, let know if you have the details.

@watchyourfeet, that's true. I'm sure we will meet tons of people regardless of whether we join a theme camp or not. But being in a theme camp last year gave me sort of a team feeling, which I really enjoy, and I felt a deep bond to my camp mates; we did everything together. I'm open to just setting up camp ourselves if need be, but I think we would have more fun in a camp. That being said, we're aren't just going to join any camp. Looking into ones that seem to have members that are generally in our age group, and who have similar interests, which will hopefully lower the chances of getting stuck in a situation with a camp that we don't enjoy being a part of.

[Captain Goddammit]

By far the best way to do that is to go, meet people, and see who you get along with. You really can't do that ahead of time any more than you can go on an Internet date and know ahead of time how it's gonna go.

[Hope-a-Lope]

You live in the Bay Area? I am envious for three reasons:
- You can drive to the burn. No necessary messing around with planes, trains, checked luggage, shipping containers...
- Thriving burner scene (naturally, being the start of it all). Searching for a camp? I don't know how you escape them out there.
- The weather. Slightly off-topic, but still.

Your fivesome could easily keep it simple and cheap. No theme camp membership means no work shifts, no close quarters with people you may not like, no paying into large/lavish structure you may not use or want... You may not even physically be in your camp most of the time.

Signed,
New Yorker who has to fly in, brings everything in two suitcases, and is still somewhat resentful of winter.

[tzatziki]

@Hope-a-Lope, HAHAHA. I'm actually from NY originally. Went to high school in Brooklyn. Came out here a few years ago. The weather is nicer here, but I like the hustle and bustle, no bullshit attitude of NY. There are also a lot more single and attractive woman out there.

Yeah I really don't know how we haven't found a camp yet, given how many camps are out here.

You all are slowly convincing me that maybe setting up camp ourselves is the way to go. But I had such a great time last year with the camp that I joined, it's hard to get away from that. How does camping by yourself work anyway? Just a first come first serve basis?

[Jovankat]

@jovankat, tried looking into that, wasn't able to find any info. I'll keep digging, let know if you have the details.

Here ya go

[trilobyte]

Get on the regional group mailing list as soon as possible (probably the SF regional and the East Bay group), and then stay tuned for details on the annual participation potluck picnic event coming up on June 6th. It's a fun event, great opportunity to meet people and connect with camps, and will be held in the East Bay this year. The email newsletters typically also include stuff coming up in the area in the days and weeks ahead.

[tzatziki]

@trilobyte, Done. Thanks

[Eric]

We took a look at the camp map from last year, and have contacted several camps, most of the time, we get no response, or they have strict policies about who they allow in their camps; either have to have a certain level of experience, live in the same city that the camp is based in, or have a reference from a current member in the camp.

You're going to find vastly different requirements to join camps, but most (not all) are going to have some. Example: ours requires reference from a current member and the camp leads have to approve you - plus we have to be under our camp limit of ~15 people, since growing large once was a disaster for us. It helps make our camp function incredibly well, and there are no dues - you just have to fit the requirements and be self-reliant. We're busy in real life, random emails asking to join would just get ignored.

If the only requirement from a camp is your money, my recommendation would be to keep looking, they're a hotel not a camp. If their requirement is money plus "volunteering" basically full-time hours, move on. They're looking for laborers. You want a good ratio of dues to volunteer time to keep the camp running, and you're not necessarily going to have the same ratio as another Burner.

[tzatziki]

Thanks Eric, absolutely 100% agree with your suggestions. Need to have a good balance.

[tzatziki]

And Thanks a lot for the link Jovankat! I will check that out.

[mr chips]

@tzatziki - Curious if you decided to give it a go on your own. My finance' and I are in a similar situation, first time burn for us, looking for a group to join. Except we have an RV and our travel partners backed out, so we have to that figure out, too. I'm a Michigan transplant to SF as well.

[Simon of the Playa]

But being in a theme camp last year gave me sort of a team feeling, which I really enjoy, and I felt a deep bond to my camp mates; we did everything together. I'm open to just setting up camp ourselves if need be, but I think we would have more fun in a camp. That being said, we're aren't just going to join any camp. Looking into ones that seem to have members that are generally in our age group, and who have similar interests, which will hopefully lower the chances of getting stuck in a situation with a camp that we don't enjoy being a part of.

how about possibly getting OUT of your comfort zone?

maybe stay with people you would never ever even dream of staying with.

just a thought.

[Jovankat]

That sounds familiar...

[media]

[chuckularone]

how about possibly getting OUT of your comfort zone?

Getting out of comfort zones is the origin of my first rule:
1. Say Yes