This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at PSU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

What is state patty’s?

State Patty’s Day is an unofficial, student created holiday celebrated at Penn State. It usually takes place during the weekend after THON and before spring break.

Created in 2007, the holiday came to life as a way for students to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, since the actual holiday occurs over spring break. Call it what you want: a drinking marathon, an excuse to party etc., but there’s no doubt that it has become one of the most chaotic and anticipated events of the year.

Safety first

State Patty’s Day is meant to be a good time for everyone, but part of that is on you to make sure you’re staying well. I’m not saying you can’t have fun, but there are definitely a few things that you should do to make sure it’s a good day for everyone.

First off, make sure to eat. Even if it’s just something small, eating before heading out will make you feel a lot better throughout the day.

Not only is eating beforehand important, but eating throughout the day is a good idea too. You’re burning a lot of energy having fun, so make sure that if you start to feel like you need to eat, go grab a snack —you won’t be the only one.

Next, make sure to drink water. It’s important to stay hydrated, especially when you’re going to be out all day. If you start to feel sick, a good thing that helps is water or Gatorade.

Another key thing is not to feel pressured to do anything you don’t want to. If you don’t want to drink, don’t drink, and just go have fun with friends.

Finally, go in a group. Even though most of the parties are during the day, it’s still always a good idea not to go out alone. Remember to stay with each other, and most importantly, have fun.

wear green

Now that the safety part is done, the second most important thing is to wear green. I feel like this should be common knowledge, but I’ll say it anyway.

You may be asking, “Can it be anything green?” and the answer is yes. Unlike regular parties, you don’t need to feel constrained to only wear going-out tops. A lot of people sell State Patty’s T-shirts, hoodies, and other things.

Last year, it was freezing. There were so many people who wore green sweatshirts or even just a State-Patty’s green t-shirt (commonly with the neckline cut) and a coat.

Personally, I bought a green body suit for this year, even though I froze last year in a green tank top. However, this year if it’s going to be freezing cold again, you may be seeing me on a lawn with a sweatshirt on.

Pace yourself

There’s no doubt that State Patty’s drinking can be a little excessive. There’s no reason why you can’t have a good time, but it’s also important to know your own limits.

Likely if you’re going out for the holiday, you’re going to be out pretty much all day. A full day of drinking can be fun, but not if you overdo it too fast.

You don’t want to be the girl known for throwing up all over the lawn at some frat. To prevent this, try to pace yourself with your drinks. For example, if you know you’re going out to three different parties later, maybe reconsider going hard at the pregame.

Even if you’re not drinking, you can still have a good time. Sometimes just being there with your friends is all you need. Just remember, State College and campus police are very present this weekend, and no matter how much you drink, you are not invincible.

Take pictures

The one thing I regret from last year was not taking more pictures. I absolutely love seeing girls’ posts come up on Instagram from State Patty’s. You can tell from the pictures alone that a time was had.

It’s definitely more fun with a group of people to go from place to place with, and I was lucky enough to go with my best friends. Even though I have a few pictures from last year, you should trust that I will be bringing my camera everywhere I go this time around.

One day (possibly the morning after), you may look at these pictures and try to remember just what went down and how much fun you and your friends had. Even if you don’t fully remember, you’ll still have a collection of pictures of you and your friends in cute green outfits.

Conclusion

All in all, State Patty’s is a great time. However, while it’s easy to get wrapped up in the excitement, it’s important to remember that it can easily turn unenjoyable if you don’t take care of yourself.

With all that being said, I hope you’re looking forward to the weekend as much as I am, and I hope you keep these things in mind as you start to get ready to go out and have a good time.

Your Official Guide To State Patty’s Day