By Olivia Dwyer

	Several members of Cornell's hockey team made an appearance to make sure all the students were doing well. Matt Hintsa/Cornell Daily Sun

The sleeping conditions were a common complaint, as sleeping bags and extra blankets were the only buffer from the scratchy turf for most. Some found comfort by hauling in air mattresses or inflatable chairs, but one group that tried to move in with a futon was told furniture was against the rules.

With the less-than-optimal conditions, students helped each other to stay fed and rested. Many students split shifts waiting in line amongst a group of friends, and food wrappers littered the room by Sunday afternoon.

"I've had a lot of food delivered to me," said sophomore Laura Kuebler as she snacked on a small dish of vanilla Tasti D-Lite brought to her by a friend who had left The Line briefly. "I think it's worth it. I love hockey, they're great games.... It's good that we have school spirit in at least one sport."

Opinions were divided on whether having The Line during Homecoming weekend embodied school spirit. Slicklen said he felt like there was a stronger school-pride vibe in The Line than at the football game Saturday afternoon, but Tschiderer reported that many people had given up line numbers Saturday night rather than miss out on Homecoming events.

"People were like, 'I have a number, but I just don't feel like doing it,'" Tschiderer said. "That and the ticket prices went up.... If I weren't a senior, I wouldn't have done it."

Tschiderer is a veteran of The Line, as she waited in Barton Hall overnight in 2004 as a sophomore.

"It's shorter [this year], which is nice, but it feels like it's not as much of a rite of passage," she said. "With this year, it's weird with the lottery, so people who really, really care aren't necessarily guaranteed better seats than anyone else. It's better because you didn't have to hurt yourself for the line number."

Tschiderer was referring to the stampede at the doors of Lynah Rink last fall, a melee that prompted the computerized sign-up and lottery system for allocating tickets this year. Another change for 2006 was locking the doors of Bartels Hall at midnight to prevent late-night arrivals, such as a friend of Baum's who joined the line at 2 a.m. last year with a 30-pack of beer. According to ticket usher Dennis Griffin, this year's line was very quiet and went smoothly, with ushers periodically selecting random intervals of line numbers for sign-in throughout the night and day.

Baum, who grew up in Ithaca, N.Y., spent the first 18 years of his life watching the Red across the ice from Section B and waiting for his chance to join the rowdy student section. He has waited in line for the past four years in order to realize his dream, and has become well known among the Lynah Faithful for leading cheers with his cowbell at every game.

"It's always special," Baum said of the line. "My favorite part of it is that I never have to do it again. The most stressful part of my time at Cornell University has been the two weeks leading up to the season-ticket process each of my four years here. Far and away my most stressful time, because I just got to be in B."

For Baum, and everyone else in line, the wait will always be worthwhile, all for a chance to be in Section B.