We have finally made it to March and Phil the groundhog predicted six more weeks of winter on February 2nd, so now we only have like two more weeks of winter! But before we get to spring, we have one very special holiday to celebrate: ST. PATRICK’S DAY! This is an exceptionally important holiday for us here at Notre Dame, because it celebrates all things Irish, and what’s more Irish than the Fightin’ Irish! We’ll have the opportunity to celebrate March 17th on campus, so start getting ready for some good ol’ Irish fun.
St. Patrick’s Day commemorates St. Patrick’s dedication to his faith by spreading Christianity through Ireland. We celebrate this on the day he died: March 17th. But St. Patrick’s Day is more than just the man himself, it’s about celebrating Christianity and the wonderful culture and traditions of Ireland. So on this day we do as the Irish do, which can at times mean getting a little rowdy. Here are seven (lucky) things that you will probably see on campus this March 17th.
1. Some girl wearing a “Kiss Me I’m Irish” shirt
This is a classic St. Patrick’s Day tradition. It’s equivalent to the guy wearing the American Flag shorts on the Fourth of July. We’re unsure of the first person who thought this was a good fashion choice, but nonetheless it’s now a staple. Unfortunately, there’s no way to verify if the person wearing said shirt is actually Irish.
2. All Green Everything
Ah, what would St. Patricks day be without the color green? For one thing, I bet nobody would know what we are celebrating. There will be green hats, green beads, green pants, and green faces. Notre Dame’s colors are technically navy and gold, but on this day we will fully embrace our unofficial color: kelly green. And on this day, we will proudly wear it.
3. An obnoxiously long Snapchat story
This isn’t your typical daily snapchat story. This is a holiday, and not just any holiday, it’s St. Patrick’s Day. Stories will include parties, singing, irish step dancing and other various Irish activities. If you’re lucky, you will have a friend who “lives in Chicago” and goes to Chicago to see the river dyed green. This will probably be the highlight of their snapchat story all year.
4. Green food (that probably shouldn’t be green)
It’s the one day a year where there is no need to be concerned if your bagel is green or you are actually eating “green eggs.” This tradition is just taking the whole St. Patricks Day spirit one step further by including your stomach in on the fun.
5. Mean Irish Jokes
We get it. The Irish have the stereotype of drinking a lot and partying and being rowdy. The jokes been said before and it will be said again, but it’s getting old. 99% of these jokes aren’t funny, but they have become expected so we have to put up with them. Be proud to be Irish especially on St. Patrick’s Day.
6. Drinking. Lots of it. Mostly beer.
Something about St. Patrick’s Day brings out the party in people. They say that the Irish love their beer, and on St. Patrick’s Day you can’t deny it. But be safe. A holiday is no excuse to be stupid, have some fun, but be smart and responsible.
7. A Rainbow with a Pot (or Dome) of Gold
A rainbow is actually something you probably won’t see. Here in South Bend, nice warm weather is something that is hard to come by, but luckily for us we don’t have to travel to the end of the rainbow to find our pot of Gold. Our pot of gold sits atop Main Building and it doesn’t just shine bright one day a year, rather every day. Our beautiful Golden Dome is our pot of gold, now and forever.
Follow HCND on Twitter, like us on Facebook, Pin with us and show our Instagram some love!