My most memorable Saint Patrick’s Day memory isn’t even on the day itself. Instead, it’s on what the Penn State community calls State Patty’s Day. This local tradition began in 2007 when the university scheduled spring break on the traditional holiday. Student’s were upset they wouldn’t be able to drink green beer, wear green clothes, and eventually vomit green with their friends. As a response, they declared State Patty’s Day and ever since then, the town of State College, Pennsylvania goes a little more insane than the rest of the world.
However, this homemade holiday is far from pure and innocent. Spring break is no longer scheduled on Saint Patrick’s Day, but the alternative still lives on and is getting stronger. Local merchandise shops exploit it through selling State Patty’s t-shirts, while the non-student civilians of State College prepare for a man made storm of destruction. Vandalism and property damage runs high, and the local hospital is filled with students with alcohol poisoning. Non-Penn State students come to participate in the chaos, and every year riots and arrests increase, and the reputation of the Pennsylvania State University falls.
Last year I walked the streets of downtown State College watching the chaos unfold. I was amazed at the behavior of the people. It’s one thing to hear about it, but to see it is something different. Being a college student is no excuse. However this year, might be different.
Anybody who has seen the news lately knows Penn State has been going through the worse time since its inception. The Jerry Sandusky child abuse scandal ripped this entire community to shreds. I was there when the caravan of newscasters came in, and when the students started a terrible riot downtown. That wasn’t my school. That was a war zone. Just when people started to calm down the legendary football coach Joe Paterno died and the media frenzy poured salt into the wounds once more. Now, were at a standpoint. Will these students continue this tradition of State Patty’s Day after all the pain we just went through? The bars, the community, and even the frats are trying to stop it. It would not be a way to cope. It would be a spit in the face of the community. This year, I hope the students grow up and realize that the time for such insanity is long past.