How to Survive the NPM
Stage One - Planning
Local Ponies

If you already live in Toronto, you have an obvious advantage in all stages of surviving the Pony Meet. For you the planning stage is minimal.

- Make sure you have booked the weekend off of work and have no other plans.

- Be packed and ready to go the night before so you can make a fast departure on the big day.

Out of Town Ponies

You should begin planning for the Meet weeks ahead of time. Plan out every aspect of the weekend, as you won't be able to take a quick trip home for things you've forgotten!

- Make sure you have booked the weekend off of work and allowed plenty of travel time both to and from the Meet.

- Make your sleeping arrangements with plenty of advanced notice.

- Plan how you will handle feeding yourself for the weekend.

- Make a budget for things like gas, snacks, lodgings, parking, and any other incidental expenses.

- Be packed and ready to go the day before you leave so you can get underway with no hassles.

- Reserve your tickets or a vehicle with plenty of advanced notice.

- Plan what you are bringing so you can travel as lightly as possible.

Stage Two - Budget
- Transit fare / gas to and from Meet location.

- Accommodations.

- Cost of buying / preparing your refreshment.

- $2.00 - $5.00 cover charge per collector for location cost. Boyfriends and parents free.

- Optional $2.50 raffle ticket (no limit to how many).

- Optional $3.00 for MLP Cell Painting Workshop.

- Optional $1.50 for additional cells to paint at home.

- Optional $2.00 - $5.00 per person to contribute to pizza / food.

- Optional amount determined by you for buying ponies / 80's toys.

- Optional amount determined by you for buying things like buttons, replacement wings, magnets, shirts, traditional art, custom accessories, bookmarks, ect.
Stage Three - Packing
Local Ponies

- The pieces of your collection that you'd like to display at the Meet.

- Your custom for the Custom Contest.

- Your contestant in the Mascot Pageant and their speech.

- Your one refreshment.

- Your wrapped pony for the Pony Potlatch.

- Your ponies and 80's toys for trade or sale.

- Your home-made crafts or art for sale.

- Your camera.

- Your boyfriend / husband / fiancé / significant other.

- Your money!

Out of Town Ponies

As well as the above list, you'll also want to consider the things you'll need to survive your whole trip.

- Maps and directions.

- The phone number for the place you are staying at in case you run into trouble getting there.

- A sleeping bag, and / or bed roll, and pillow per person coming.

- The usual things like clothes and toothbrush. ;)

- Snacks / meals for yourself.

Stage Three - Enjoy!
Nurse Crystalheart offers the following medical advice to attendees of the Northern Pony Meet:

Get plenty of sleep on Friday night. It's surprising how tiring this much excitement can be. Your body requires more vitamins during this rigorous exercise, so remember to get lots of nutrients and hydrate in the form of tons of snacks and pop during the Meet. Health Canada recommends you get at least 21kz of cuteness intake every day. One baby MLP provides 30% of the recommended daily requirements, so imagine how much will be provided by the entire Pony Meet. Studies have proven that small plastic horses reduce the rate of heart disease in girls aged 3 - 87 and the multi-coloured variety fight cancer as well. So while at the Meet ensure you secure at least one new pony to take home with you, it's healthy for you!