Many first time campers have never pitched a 4 man tent before.
The wrong time to learn is when you're out on your camping trip, and it's time to settle down for the night.
If you don't know what you're doing, it can be an annoying situation, which can severely test your patience.
Consider doing a test set up at home, prior to going on the camping trip.
Get someone to help you, and you'll know if you can pitch it by yourself should you need to.
We've heard it all before.
Location, location, location.
It's the most important thing.
You want to find a spot that is high and dry.
Go for the flattest part of the earth you can find.
This will help your tent maintain its sturdiness should you get heavy wind or rain.
Make sure there aren't any rocks or debris in the area you want to pitch the tent, because this may damage your ground mat.
Now that you've found a good spot to build, assemble the floor of the tent.
Basically, you're laying down the tarp, to serve as a barrier between you and the bare ground.
Smooth out the ground cloth, and again, check for sharp objects that may poke holes in the floor.
If you puncture your flooring, there's a good chance that insects will use this as a route to enter your tent, so make sure you put a temporary tape patch over the whole.
Begin putting the poles and frame together.
If you've never assembled this brand of tent before, you might want to go online and search for videos that show you how to do it.
Take your time building the frame.
You don't want to bend the aluminum poles, which is easy to do if you're angry and frustrated.
Once you bend a pole, your tent will not assemble properly, and this could create a serious problem if you don't have a backup plan.
Don't rush this part of the set up.
Once the frame is together, attach the tent cover.
Currently, there are manufacturers that make a 4 man tent that will pop up automatically, unfold, and self set up.
The fabric of the tent is already attached to the poles, and the set up is quick and easy.
If you have the normal type tent, then be careful not to rip or tear the fabric when attaching it to the frame.
Find your guy rope and attach it to the designated spots or holes on the tent.
Pull the rope taunt, and hold it down by hammering stakes on the end at 45 degree angles away from the tent.
If you anchor the stakes perpendicular, it will still hold the tent down, but it won't be nearly as effective had you nailed them in at an angle.
Bottom line, if you want to breeze through set up at the campsite, then practice setting up the tent prior to the trip.
It will save you time.