You can Occupy Wall St. It's really fun and worthwhile. And you may not get a second chance! Do it!

Occupy movements are happening all over America and worldwide. With over 1500 meetup groups, I bet there's an Occupy event coming soon nearby you! How: Join Meetup groups on OccupyTogether.org, find an Occupy action near you and go for it! http://www.occupytogether.org/

This article is an unofficial insider's guide to Occupy Wall St (OWS) with map of Liberty Plaza  NYC (Picture 1), and many pictures of OWS fun+action: Direct Action Activists (Pic 2), Picketers (Pic 3, 6 ;-), 10), Singers (Pic 4), Drummer (Pic 5), The Reverend Al Sharpton at OWS (Pic 7), Spiritualist/Yoga Instructor (Pic 8), Street Philosopher (Pic 9), and Joyful Protesters (Pic 10).

For the ultimate Occupy Wall Street (OWS) experience, go to Liberty Plaza in New York City. Two  ways: go there every day and sleep offsite (Day Tripper), or go as a long-term OWS resident. Liberty Plaza is also known as Zuccotti Park, located at Broadway and Liberty St. Subway Trains: N & R to Cortlandt, 4 & 5 to Wall St, 1 & 9 to Greenwich/Rector St., and A, C, J, Z to Fulton St (3 blocks North of Liberty Plaza).

What to Bring: Day Trippers and Protesters

Everyone has their own reasons to Occupy Wall St. You may have a particular cause you wish to protest and raise awareness. You want to support OWS in general.  Any way possible. You want to join in the fun! Or most importantly, you want to learn and expand your mind about what's happening to human society; and take peaceful action for change!

The City does not allow sticks and poles, and can confiscate them. I suggest you make a cardboard or foamboard protest sign that you can carry comfortably, hold overhead, or in front of you. As a day tripper, and especially if you eat offsite, you bring the most protest capability for the least on-site burden to OWS. This is a great way to participate in OWS if you can stay with friends or rent a hotel room anywhere near the subway system. If you wish, bring a camera, cellphone, and acoustic music instrument... a  drum with a carry sling is ideal for marches!

What to Bring: Long Term Activist Living Onsite

If you have nothing, you don't need to bring anything. However, if you have some resources, there are many ways that you can make your stay more comfortable and less of a burden on the community.

HelpOWS is a great list of  what's needed onsite: https://anonymous1234.wiki.zoho.com/HelpOWS.html

HelpOWS contains many useful tips on what you should bring if you are planning to live at OWS long term. Ideally, bring a water-resistant sleeping bag with a winter temperature rating of -15 to -20 degrees F (-25 to -30 C). Bring a waterproof tarp about 8 x 10 feet (3 x 3 meters) to sleep on and keep you dry from rain at night. I suggest a headlamp, waterproof boots, sleeping pad, rain jacket/shell, zip neck T/sweater, fingerless gloves, gloves, wool overmittens, warm winter coat, and ski pants, poncho or rain suit. Keep a small towel and a dry pair of socks in a plastic bag, dry your feet and change your socks every night. For advanced campers, down booties and mukluks (waterproof foot coverings) are a joy to wear overnight!

Currently, City authorities do not allow tents in Liberty Plaza (Zuccotti Park). As a potent protest action, OWS can get that rule changed. I strongly suggest they do, as it will make winter-living much more comfortable.

What Not to Do at OWS

No Drink, No Drugs, No Violence, and No Littering. Occupy Wall St is a very high profile protest movement. The place swarms with camera-toting TV crews, tourists, and bloggers/supporters. The revolt is televised! Have respect for the movement. Be quiet after 10pm. Don't drink and drug. Keep the area clean. Be peaceful and loving.

Tobacco smoking is allowed, and many at OWS indulge. Please clean up your cigarette butts.

Essential Reading

OWC's General Assembly Guide: http://nycga.cc/resources/general-assembly-guide/

Where to Donate: http://nycga.cc/donate/

What Items to Send (HelpOWS): https://anonymous1234.wiki.zoho.com/HelpOWS.html

Local Knowledge

Several good eating spots are along Cortlandt / Maiden Lane (to NE) and Greenwich St (to SW). There are 2 nice grocery stores on John Street (East of Broadway towards Water St). There are food trucks onsite except late at night.

Great chill spots with seating: Charlotte's Place at 109 Greenwich St btw Carlisle and Rector (about 2 block SW – Open Noon to 6pm), and 60 Wall St btw Wright and Pearl (enter from Pine St, about 4 blocks East SE – Open 7am to 10pm).

Events are very dynamic on the ground at Liberty Plaza. Currently, you can't rely completely on the online calendars, other than for a general sense of what's happening that day. http://nycga.cc/calendar/

Every day, go to the INFO booths shown on the map (Picture 1), and check the list of events (or whiteboard). Ideally, contact someone from the working group hosting the event and confirm the place/time. There is a group list with emails at Outreach. Don't be disappointed if the event is postponed or changes. Stuff happens. Go with the flow! Wonderful things are happening all around you!