If you thought living in an apartment was tough, try living packed together in canvas houses. Camping in a large group is not always easy and takes great diplomacy. Courtesy and respect for others are absolutely imperative. Never walk into another camper's private space unannounced. While there may not be a physical door to knock on, the door is implied. Plan your needs carefully so that you don't have to borrow. If you do need to borrow from a camp mate, be courteous and return what you borrowed as soon as possible. Respect the sleeping needs of others. Your neighbor may have worked a security shift until 6:00 AM and has just gone to bed. Also, keep your stuff where it belongs. Don't straggle your possessions all over the camp.

Try not to be a camp hanger-on. As much as we all like to sit around and talk to our friends, no one wants to have a neighbor in their tent 24 hours a day. Visit at appropriate times, but leave before your presence becomes annoying. Everyone is entitled to privacy. Also, please be respectful of other people's possessions. Never take or handle another's property without permission. This is especially true of armor and weapons.

Children in camp can be a joy or a nuisance, depending on their behavior. If you plan to have children in your camp, be responsible for them. Keep them entertained and under control. Above all, keep them safe. There are open flames and people carrying sharp objects all over the campground. No one wants to have to take a child to Chirurgeon's Point. Remember too that parents are not permitted to leave children when they go off-site. If you must leave, take your kids with you. Camping together implies a commitment to the good of the camp. Small chores need to be performed daily if the camp is to stay in working order. Don't shirk your share. If it is your turn to tend the fire, do so. If you are expected to blow out the tiki-torches at a certain hour, make sure that it is done. Like living in any community, Pennsic only works if everyone does his or her share.

Whatever rules of courtesy apply in our camp goes doubly for other camps. Never enter a camp without leave. It would be like walking into another's house without permission. Also, be mindful of the privacy and rights of those camps around yours. They may not enjoy the Corpulent Boar Fight Song at 3 o'clock in the morning.